Quantifying the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) of different age segments based on 60 patients

Abstract

Background: To observe the clinical characteristics of the novel coronavirus pneumonia of different age segments infected with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to increase awareness of the clinical features of COVID-19, and improve diagnosis and treatment. Methods: By 15 February 2020, 60 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 had been admitted our hospital. We prospectively analyzed the clinical features of different age segments infected with COVID-19, including epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics, and treatment, clinical outcomes, and prognosis of this part of patients. Results: We included 29 male and 31 female (median age = 46.18 years old (18–97). Fifty-five (91.7%) patients had a clear epidemiological contact history. The average incubation period is 7.92 days. The most common clinical manifestations are fever (85%) and cough (75). Peripheral white blood cell counts were mostly normal at admission, 7 days, and 14 days, with no difference in patients of different ages. The lymphocyte count was in the normal range on admission, but decreased after 7 days of disease treatment, especially in patients > 65 years old; the lymphocyte count increased again after 14 days. The lymphocyte count in >65-year-old patients was less than that in the <40 and 40–65 years old groups after 7 and 14 days, respectively. At admission, the CD4 T lymphocyte count was within the normal; however, after 14 days the CD4 T lymphocyte count was 723.46 ± 243.82/ml, 640.00 ± 242.30/ml, and 399.88 ± 256.16/ml in the three age segments, respectively. The > 65 years old group had higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase (269.83 ± 73.36 vs. 208.52 ± 35.67 and 243.83 ± 76.66) after 14 days. Imaging revealed more lesions in the 40–65 and > 65 years old groups. The days after the nucleic acid detection turned negative in the three age groups were : 9.19 ± 3.93 (<40), 10.04 ± 4.10 (40–65), and 13.57 ± 2.76 (>65). Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia generally had an epidemiological history. Older patients showed more extensive lesions upon admission, more severe illness, slower recovery of immune function, the longer viral nucleic acid persistence.