Objective: This study investigated the influence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on lung function in early convalescence phase. Methods: A retrospective study of COVID-19 patients at the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were conducted, with serial assessments including lung volumes (TLC), spirometry (FVC, FEV1), lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO),respiratory muscle strength, 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and high resolution CT being collected at 30 days after discharged.Results: Fifty-seven patients completed the serial assessments. There were 40 non-severe cases and 17 severe cases. Thirty-one patients (54.3%) had abnormal CT findings. Abnormalities were detected in the pulmonary function tests in 43 (75.4%) of the patients. Six (10.5%), 5(8.7%), 25(43.8%) 7(12.3%), and 30 (52.6%) patients had FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, TLC, and DLCO values less than 80% of predicted values, respectively. 28 (49.1%) and 13 (22.8%) patients had PImax and PEmax values less than 80% of the corresponding predicted values. Compared with non-severe cases, severe patients showed higher incidence of DLCO impairment (75.6%vs42.5%, p = 0.019), higher lung total severity score (TSS) and R20, and significantly lower percentage of predicted TLC and 6MWD. No significant correlation between TSS and pulmonary function parameters was found during follow-up visit. Conclusion: Impaired diffusing-capacity, lower respiratory muscle strength, and lung imaging abnormalities were detected in more than half of the COVID-19 patients in early convalescence phase. Compared with non-severe cases, severe patients had a higher incidence of DLCO impairment and encountered more TLC decrease and 6MWD decline.

We found that the overall second infection rate of SARS-COV-2 was 32.4% within household. The estimated median incubation period and serial interval were 4.3 days and 5.1 days, respectively. Early isolation of patients and contact investigation should be initiated urgently. AbstractBackground: To illustrate the extent of transmission, identify affecting risk factors and estimate epidemiological modeling parameters of SARS-CoV-2 in household setting. Methods:We enrolled 35 confirmed index cases and their 148 household contacts, January 2020-February 2020, in Zhuhai, China. All participants were interviewed and asked to complete questionnaires. Household contacts were then prospectively followed active symptom monitoring through the 21-day period and nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs were collected at 3-7 days intervals. Epidemiological, demographic and clinical data (when available) were collected. Results:Assuming that all these secondary cases were infected by their index cases, the second infection rate (SIR) in household context is 32.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.4%-44.4%), with 10.4% of secondary cases being asymptomatic. Multivariate analysis showed that household contacts with underlying medical conditions, a history of direct exposure to Wuhan and its surrounding areas, and shared vehicle with an index patient were associated with higher susceptibility. Household members without protective measures after illness onset of the index patient seem to increase the risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The median incubation period and serial interval within household were estimated to be 4.3 days (95% CI; 3.4 to 5.3 days) and 5.1 days (95% CI; 4.3 to 6.2 days), respectively. Conclusion:Early isolation of patients with COVID-19 and prioritizing rapid contact investigation, followed by active symptom monitoring and periodic laboratory evaluation, should be initiated immediately after confirming patients to address the underlying determinants driving the continuing pandemic.

cases had been reported worldwide, among which 56,985 deaths occurred (5.42%). 1 However, to date, no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine are available to prevent or treat COVID-19. A previous study suggested that cytokine release syndrome could be involved in the pathophysiology of severe or critical COVID-19 cases and frequently results in death. 2 Hence, early recognition and effective suppression of the cytokine storm may be life-saving in severe or critical patients. The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University was the first and, at the time of this report, remains the only designated hospital for management of COVID-19 patients in Zhuhai, China. From January 22 to March 2, we treated 101 patients with COVID-19 in total. Although the previously reported fatality rate for severe and critical patients with COVID-19 was considerable, 2 those whom we treated all survived. Despite controversies, we think that timely and appropriate application of glucocorticoid plays a crucial role in the treatment of these patients. Herein, we introduce our clinical experience with corticosteroid administration in these patients for reference and discussion. During the study period, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University was the only designated hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 in Zhuhai, China, and all suspected or confirmed cases in this city were compulsarily admitted to it. All the hospitalized patients were managed by an expert panel consisting of experienced clinicians from pulmonology, critical medicine, infectious diseases, radiology, microbiology, and pathology departments. Diagnosis of COVID-19 was made on the basis of criteria of the ''Diagnosis and Treatment of New Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia'' (Sixth trial version) draft by the National Health Commission of China. Specific IgG antibody had to be tested with the ELISA method before discharge of patients. Furthermore, patients have been followed up and their lung function measured within 1 month of discharge. This case series was approved by the Institutional Ethics Board of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted from January 22 to March 2, 2020, were enrolled. Oral consent was

No abstract

No abstract