Clinical characteristics and factors affecting the duration of positive nucleic acid test for patients of COVID‐19 in XinYu, China

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of a new coronavirus, COVID‐19, which was earliest reported in Wuhan, China, is now transmitting throughout the world. The aim of this study was to articulate the clinical characteristics of COVID‐19 and to reveal possible factors that may affect the persistent time of positive SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid test, so as to identify which patients may deteriorate or have poor prognoses as early as possible. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study was carried out on 47 patients with confirmed COVID‐19 infection admitted to XinYu People's Hospital of JiangXi Province. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratorial, management, treatment, and outcome data were also collected and analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, patients were divided into two groups based on whether their SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid tests in respiratory specimens turn negative within (Group Rapid or Group R) or over (Group Slow or Group S) a week. There was no significant difference in age, sex, travel or exposure history, and smoking history between the two groups. Forty‐two patients had been observed with comorbidities. Similar clinical manifestations, for instance fever, cough, sputum, and fatigue, have been observed among patients in both groups, except that patients in Group S were obviously more likely to get fatigue than patients in Group R. Both groups had shown decrease in white blood cell or lymphocyte counts. Chest X‐ray or computed tomography scan showed unilateral or bilateral infiltrates. High proportion in both groups has used nasal cannula (89.47% vs. 85.71%) to inhale oxygen. 10.53% of Group S have applied high‐flow nasal cannula, while Group R used none. The current treatment is mainly antibiotics, antiviral, and traditional Chinese medicine, while a couple of patients has used methylprednisolone. Only 1 patient out of both groups got even worse despite this active treatment. CONCLUSION: Clinical characteristics of COVID‐19 include the exposure history and typical systemic symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue, decreased WBC and lymphocyte counts, and infiltration in both lower lobes on CT imaging. Among them, fatigue appears to be an important factor that affects the duration of positive SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid test in respiratory specimens.