tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Korean J Intern Med
. 2020 May 29.
doi: 10.3904/kjim.2020.159. Online ahead of print.
Selecting Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients With Negligible Risk of Progression: Early Experience From Non-Hospital Isolation Facility in Korea
Pyoeng Gyun Choe[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Eun Kyo Kang[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Sun Young Lee[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Boram Oh[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Dahae Im[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hyo Yeon Lee[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hyemin Jung[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Chang Kyung Kang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Min Sun Kim[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Wan Beom Park[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Eun Hwa Choi[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], BeLong Cho[SUP] 3 5 [/SUP], Myoung-Don Oh[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nam Joong Kim[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background/aims: As the novel coronavirus (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) outbreak progresses rapidly, staying home is recommended for suspected patients; however, the safety of this recommendation is uncertain. In Korea, non-hospital facilities called "living and treatment centers (LTCs)" have been established since 5 March 2020. The LTCs provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the safety of selection criteria for low-risk groups.
Methods: Between 5 March and 9 April 2020, patients with COVID-19 who met the following criteria were admitted to the LTC; alert, age below 65 years old, no underlying disease or well-controlled underlying disease, body temperature below 38.0?C, whether taking antipyretics or not, and no dyspnea. Patients were closely observed by doctors or nurses' interviews twice a day and transferred to hospitals when symptoms worsened.
Results: A total of 113 patients were admitted to the LTC; 52.2% were female, with a median age of 25 years (interquartile range, 21.5 to 39.5). Of 113 patients, 54 (47.8%) were asymptomatic at diagnosis, and 15 (13.3%) had no symptoms until they were released from isolation. During the follow-up period, two (1.8%) patients were transferred to a hospital but did not progress to severe status during hospitalization.
Conclusions: The risk of progression was negligible in COVID-19 patients who met the admission criteria for LTC at the time of diagnosis. LTCs could be a safe alternative considering shortage of hospital beds.
Keywords: COVID-19; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
. 2020 May 29.
doi: 10.3904/kjim.2020.159. Online ahead of print.
Selecting Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients With Negligible Risk of Progression: Early Experience From Non-Hospital Isolation Facility in Korea
Pyoeng Gyun Choe[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Eun Kyo Kang[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Sun Young Lee[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Boram Oh[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Dahae Im[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hyo Yeon Lee[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hyemin Jung[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Chang Kyung Kang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Min Sun Kim[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Wan Beom Park[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Eun Hwa Choi[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], BeLong Cho[SUP] 3 5 [/SUP], Myoung-Don Oh[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nam Joong Kim[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32460457
- DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2020.159
Abstract
Background/aims: As the novel coronavirus (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) outbreak progresses rapidly, staying home is recommended for suspected patients; however, the safety of this recommendation is uncertain. In Korea, non-hospital facilities called "living and treatment centers (LTCs)" have been established since 5 March 2020. The LTCs provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the safety of selection criteria for low-risk groups.
Methods: Between 5 March and 9 April 2020, patients with COVID-19 who met the following criteria were admitted to the LTC; alert, age below 65 years old, no underlying disease or well-controlled underlying disease, body temperature below 38.0?C, whether taking antipyretics or not, and no dyspnea. Patients were closely observed by doctors or nurses' interviews twice a day and transferred to hospitals when symptoms worsened.
Results: A total of 113 patients were admitted to the LTC; 52.2% were female, with a median age of 25 years (interquartile range, 21.5 to 39.5). Of 113 patients, 54 (47.8%) were asymptomatic at diagnosis, and 15 (13.3%) had no symptoms until they were released from isolation. During the follow-up period, two (1.8%) patients were transferred to a hospital but did not progress to severe status during hospitalization.
Conclusions: The risk of progression was negligible in COVID-19 patients who met the admission criteria for LTC at the time of diagnosis. LTCs could be a safe alternative considering shortage of hospital beds.
Keywords: COVID-19; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.