In this analysis, we included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were
discharged (or died) between 5 January 2020 and 3 March 2020 at Huangshi City
Infectious Disease Hospital of Hubei Province. According to their condition at
admission and with reference to the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Diagnosis and
Treatment Program (Sixth Edition),4 all included patients met
the diagnostic criteria for severe or critically severe COVID-19 pneumonia. The
diagnostic criteria for severe COVID-19 pneumonia were meeting any of the
following: 1) respiratory distress, with respiration rate >30 breaths/minute;
2) oxygen saturation at rest <93%; and 3) arterial blood oxygen partial
pressure (PaO2)/oxygen uptake concentration (FiO2) ≤300 mmHg. The diagnostic
criteria for critically severe COVID-19 pneumonia were meeting one of the
following conditions: 1) respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation;
2) shock; and 3) other organ failure requiring monitoring and treatment in the
intensive care unit (ICU). All enrolled patients were tested in the local
disease prevention and control department and were positive for severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid in more than two
nasopharyngeal swabs. The exclusion criteria were as follows: 1) age <18
years; 2) tracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation within 24
hours of admission; and 3) death within 24 hours of admission.
discharged (or died) between 5 January 2020 and 3 March 2020 at Huangshi City
Infectious Disease Hospital of Hubei Province. According to their condition at
admission and with reference to the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Diagnosis and
Treatment Program (Sixth Edition),4 all included patients met
the diagnostic criteria for severe or critically severe COVID-19 pneumonia. The
diagnostic criteria for severe COVID-19 pneumonia were meeting any of the
following: 1) respiratory distress, with respiration rate >30 breaths/minute;
2) oxygen saturation at rest <93%; and 3) arterial blood oxygen partial
pressure (PaO2)/oxygen uptake concentration (FiO2) ≤300 mmHg. The diagnostic
criteria for critically severe COVID-19 pneumonia were meeting one of the
following conditions: 1) respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation;
2) shock; and 3) other organ failure requiring monitoring and treatment in the
intensive care unit (ICU). All enrolled patients were tested in the local
disease prevention and control department and were positive for severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid in more than two
nasopharyngeal swabs. The exclusion criteria were as follows: 1) age <18
years; 2) tracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation within 24
hours of admission; and 3) death within 24 hours of admission.
