Author/Authors :
Dai, Wei Department of Neurorehabilitation - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Chen, Xinmiao Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Xu, Xiaoting Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Leng, Zhefeng Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Yu, Wenwen Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Lin, Hui Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Li, Huiying Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Lin, Jie Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Qiu, Zhangwei Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China , Dai, Yuanrong Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
Abstract :
Objective. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in December
2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since spread globally, resulting in an ongoing pandemic. However, the study of asymptomatic
patients is still rare, and the understanding of its potential transmission risk is still insufficient. In this study, epidemiological
investigations were conducted in the Zhejiang province to understand the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of
asymptomatic patients with COVID-19. Methods. This retrospective study was carried out on 22 asymptomatic patients and 234
symptomatic patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in Zhejiang Duodi Hospital from January 21 to March 16, 2020. The
characteristics of epidemiology, demography, clinical manifestations, and laboratory data of mild patients were compared and
analyzed. Results. The median age was 28 years in asymptomatic patients and 48 years in symptomatic patients.The proportion
who were female was 77.3% in asymptomatic patients and 36.3% in symptomatic patients (p < 0.001). +e proportion of patients
with coexisting diseases was 4.5% in asymptomatic patients and 38.0% in symptomatic patients (p = 0.002). The proportion of
patients with increased CRP was 13.6% in the asymptomatic group and 61.1% in the symptomatic group (p < 0.001). The
proportion of patients received antiviral therapy was 45.5% in the asymptomatic group and 97.9% in the symptomatic group
(p < 0.001). The proportion of patients received oxygen therapy was 22.7% in the asymptomatic group and 99.1% in symptomatic
patients (p < 0.001). By March 16, 2020, all patients were discharged from the hospital, and no symptoms had appeared in the
asymptomatic patients during hospitalization. +e median course of infection to discharge was 21.5 days in asymptomatic patients
and 22 days in symptomatic patients. Conclusions. Asymptomatic patients are also infectious; relying only on clinical symptoms,
blood cell tests, and radiology examination will lead to misdiagnosis of most patients, leading to the spread of the virus. Investigation of medical history is the best strategy for screening asymptomatic patients, especially young people, women, and
people without coexisting disease, who are more likely to be asymptomatic when infected. Although the prognosis is good,
isolation is critical for asymptomatic patients, and it is important not to end isolation early before a nucleic acid test turns negative.
