Clinical diagnosis and integrated treatment of traditional Chinese and western medicine for confirmed patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Yangzhou area of Jiangsu Province

Objective To summarize and evaluate the epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, treatment options and prognosis of novel coronavirus pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019, COVID-19)in Yangzhou. Methods The clinical data of 23 COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Yangzhou Infectious Disease Hospital were collected and analyzed. Results (1) Case characteristics: nucleic acid tests(oropharyngeal swabs)were positive in 23 patients, including 1 severe case and 22 common cases, aged 23 to 72 years, with 10 males and 13 females. There were 21 cases(91.3%)with contact history, among which familial clustering occurred in 7 cases. The average incubation period was 5 days. (2) Clinical symptoms mainly included cough, fever(78.3%), followed by sputum symptoms(26.1%), chest tightness and asthma(26.1%), and digestive tract symptoms(8.7%). (3) Hematological examination: the total number of white blood cells was normal, with low lymphocytes occurring in 16 patients, abnormal liver function in two patients at admission; - triglycerides and cholesterol increased, and C reactive protein(CRP)decreased at discharge. (4) Imaging examinations: CT scan of the chest showed that multiple ground glass shadows was seen under the pleura, complicating with interstitial thickening. (5) Treatments: all the patients were treated by antiviral, anti-infective, and oxygen inhalation treatments. Only one severe patient was given non-invasive ventilation. All patients were discharged after negative results of the nucleic acid test. Conclusions Positive nucleic acid test and multiple ground-glass shadows complicating with interstitial thickening by chest CT are important evidence for diagnosis of novel coronary pneumonia, and contact history of susceptible people, cough as well as fever symptoms, and low lymphocytes are important clinical manifestations of novel coronavirus pneumonia. In clinic, comprehensive treatment of Chinese and western medicine is an effective treatment for COVID-19.