Clinical analysis of 71 COVID-19 death cases in Wuhan

Abstract

Objective To study the factors influencing the death of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in Wuhan city of China. Methods The clinical data of 71 COVID-19 death cases admitted and treated in the Third Hospital of Wuhan were retrospectively analyzed. and SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis to compare the laboratory results in different periods of the disease. Results Males (64.79%. 46/71) accounted for a large proportion of the 71 cases of COVID-19 deaths in Wuhan city of China. The median age was 70.0 years old. 81.69% (58/71) were over 60 years old. People with underlying diseases accounted for 76.06% (54/71). the most common underlying disease was hypertension (53.52%. 38/71). and the most common clinical symptom was fever (85.91%. 61/71). The majority of the patients were severe type (56.34%. 40/71) at the time when they were admitted to the hospital. According to the laboratory results. their lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) [469.50 (454.50~552.75) U/L], blood glucose [9.95 (6.83~13.95) mmol/L] at the end stage were higher than that at admission with LDH [144.00 (123.75~273.25) U/L] and blood glucose [6.60 (5.20~10.70) mmol/L] (Z= -3.298, -2.542, both P < 0.05). Blood gas analysis at the end stage showed that their pH value [7.31 (7.27~7.34)]. oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) [45.00 (35.00~56.00) mm Hg] were lower than that at admission with the pH value [7.38 (7.34~7.41)] and PaO2 [82.50 (77.50~88.50) mm Meanwhile. their partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) [59.00 (48.75~60.75) mm Hg] was higher than that at admission [42.00 (37.25~48.75) mm Hg] (Z= -2.906. -3.296. -3.206. all P < 0.05). Conclusions Elder age and combined underlying diseases account for a higher proportion of deaths. Lung injury. hypoxemia. myocardial injury, and abnormal glucose metabolism caused by the disease are the major causes of death in COVID-19 patients in Wuhan city of China.