Clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings on admission
| Total (n=21) | Non-survivor (n=5) | Survivor (n=16) | P value | |
| Clinical characteristics | ||||
| Age, years | 68 (52–75) | 68 (50–75) | 69 (52–75) | 0.842 |
| Sex | 0.311 | |||
| Male | 11 (52.4%) | 4 (80.0%) | 7 (43.8%) | – |
| Aetiology of cirrhosis | 0.489 | |||
| Chronic hepatitis B | 9 (42.9%) | 2 (40.0%) | 7 (43.8%) | – |
| Chronic hepatitis C | 2 (9.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (12.5%) | – |
| Alcoholic liver disease | 2 (9.5%) | 1 (20.0%) | 1 (6.2%) | – |
| Schistosomiasis | 1 (4.8%) | 1 (20.0%) | 0 (0%) | |
| Autoimmune hepatitis | 1 (4.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (6.2%) | |
| Other* | 6 (28.6%) | 1 (20.0%) | 4 (25.0%) | – |
| Stage of cirrhosis | 0.228 | |||
| Decompensated | 4 (19.0%) | 2 (40.0%) | 2 (12.5%) | – |
| Child-Pugh class | 0.354 | |||
| A | 16 (76.2%) | 3 (60.0%) | 13 (81.3%) | – |
| B | 3 (14.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (18.8%) | – |
| C | 2 (9.5%) | 2 (40.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | – |
| MELD score | 8 (7–11) | 11 (7–14) | 8 (7–9) | 0.398 |
| Exposure history | 20 (95.2%) | 5 (100.0%) | 15 (93.8%) | 1.000 |
| Interval between onset and admission, days | 8 (3–14) | 3 (3–20) | 8 (4–15) | 0.495 |
| Onset symptoms | ||||
| Fever | 16 (76.2%) | 5 (100.0%) | 11 (68.8%) | 0.278 |
| Cough | 15 (71.4%) | 4 (80.0%) | 11 (68.8%) | 1.000 |
| Shortness of breath | 12 (57.1%) | 3 (60.0%) | 9 (56.3%) | 1.000 |
| Sputum | 7 (33.3%) | 2 (40.0%) | 5 (31.3%) | 1.000 |
| Sore throat | 3 (14.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (18.8%) | 0.549 |
| Diarrhoea | 2 (9.5%) | 1 (20.0%) | 1 (6.3%) | 0.429 |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Any | 13 (61.9%) | 5 (100.0%) | 8 (50.0%) | 0.111 |
| Hypertension | 7 (33.3%) | 2 (40.0%) | 5 (31.3%) | 1.000 |
| Diabetes | 4 (19.0%) | 2 (40.0%) | 2 (12.5%) | 0.228 |
| Coronary heart disease | 4 (19.0%) | 2 (40.0%) | 2 (12.5%) | 0.228 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 2 (9.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (12.5%) | 1.000 |
| Malignancy | 3 (14.3%) | 1 (20.0%) | 2 (12.5%) | 1.000 |
| Laboratory characteristics | ||||
| White cell, ×109/L | 4.34 (2.81–5.52) | 4.60 (1.86–9.05) | 4.28 (3.10–5.15) | 0.905 |
| Neutrophils, ×109/L | 2.64 (1.68–4.30) | 4.01 (1.54–7.45) | 2.48 (1.64–4.22) | 0.548 |
| Lymphocytes, ×109/L | 0.78 (0.51–1.24) | 0.36 (0.20–1.10) | 0.86 (0.70–1.29) | 0.040* |
| Platelets, ×109/L | 120 (70–182) | 77 (44–93) | 126 (83–201) | 0.032* |
| ALT, U/L | 30 (19–41) | 30 (22–52) | 28 (17–38) | 0.603 |
| AST, U/L | 38 (27–55) | 42 (32–105) | 31 (26–51) | 0.275 |
| GGT, U/L | 23 (20–59) | 61 (22–151) | 22 (17–27) | 0.098 |
| Total bilirubin, μmol/L | 14.5 (10.60–22.50) | 22.2 (16.60–34.60) | 12.6 (8.90–20.00) | 0.075 |
| Direct bilirubin, μmol/L | 4.8 (2.50–10.90) | 12.0 (9.40–14.60) | 3.90 (2.23–6.90) | 0.006* |
| Albumin, g/L | 34.2 (26.90–38.60) | 29.0 (22.30–36.00) | 37.5 (27.60–38.70) | 0.354 |
| LDH, U/L | 306 (238–429) | 409 (178–573) | 289 (234–344) | 0.179 |
| BUN, mmol/L | 5.50 (3.97–7.65) | 5.50 (3.98–10.40) | 5.30 (3.85–7.10) | 0.660 |
| SCr, μmol/L | 66.0 (48.70–90.40) | 66.2 (59.30–94.50) | 60.1 (47.20–87.90) | 0.398 |
| Glucose, mmol/L | 6.20 (5.10–7.91) | 7.90 (5.65–14.15) | 6.06 (4.95–7.60) | 0.208 |
| Creatine kinase, U/L | 87 (52–135) | 63 (46–416) | 91 (50–131) | 0.968 |
| APTT, s | 29.1 (22.70–32.90) | 32.9 (30.00–46.50) | 28.1 (22.10–32.60) | 0.075 |
| Prothrombin time, s | 12.8 (11.80–14.60) | 14.0 (11.70–17.50) | 12.6 (11.60–14.40) | 0.445 |
| INR | 1.08 (1.00–1.30) | 1.31 (1.00–1.59) | 1.08 (0.99–1.17) | 0.275 |
| C-reactive protein, mg/L | 18.30 (1.88–73.71) | 50.00 (13.91–116.40) | 7.20 (1.50–56.13) | 0.153 |
| Procalcitonin, ng/mL | 0.05 (0.00–0.35) | 0.10 (0.05–1.19) | 0.04 (0.00–0.09) | 0.130 |
| CT evidence of pneumonia | ||||
| Typical signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection | 18 (85.7%) | 4 (80.0%) | 14 (87.5%) | 1.000 |
Data are expressed as median (IQR) or n (%). P values were calculated by Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate.
*Other: one for with HBV and HCV co-infection, one for hepatitis B infection with history of alcohol abuse, one for hepatitis B infection with schistosomiasis and three for unknown causes of cirrhosis.
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; APTT, activated partial thromboplastin time; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GGT, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase; INR, international normalised ratio; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SCr, serum creatinine.