Very fast-progressive pulmonary opacities and high inflammatory factors levels are associated with decease of young Coronavirus Disease 2019 patients

We aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical and computed tomography (CT) characteristics of young adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia who were critically ill and to identify the features associated with non-survival. Thirty-eight COVID-19 patients (20–45 years old, 28 men) who had been admitted in the intensive care unit were included, including 18 non-survivors (group 1) and 20 survivors (group 2). Their clinical characteristics and initial and follow-up CT were compared between groups. In group 1, the days from illness onset to death were 21.1 ± 10.3 days; 7 patients had underlying comorbidities. At admission, group 1 exhibited higher serum ferritin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels (1142.6 ± 242.4 mg/L and 33.8 ± 18.6 mmol/L) compared with group 2 (728.3 ± 150.9 mg/L and 15.2 ± 6.9 mmol/L, P < .01). Group 1 exhibited more rapidly progressive opacities and consolidation in follow-up CT (16.7 ± 3.1 scores, 15.7 ± 3.1 segments) than group 2 (11.4 ± 4.0 scores, 10.3 ± 4.6 segments, P < .01). The oxygenation index was lower (87.6 ± 19.2 vs 99.1 ± 20.4 mm Hg) and the mechanical ventilation duration was longer (14.7 ± 6.9 vs 9.7 ± 3.7 days) in group 1 compare with group 2 (P < .01). Compared with the survivors, the non-survivors showed higher serum ferritin and IL-6 levels, more rapidly progressive opacities in CT, lower oxygenation index, and longer mechanical ventilation durations. Special attention to ferritin/IL-6 levels and oxygenation index as well as early CT application and timely reexaminations are important to identify the individuals who may be at risk of becoming critically ill.