Implications for Online Management: Two Cases with COVID-19


Introduction

Pneumonia of unknown cause, detected in Wuhan City since December 2019, is now confirmed to be an acute respiratory infection caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which is currently known as the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP). NCP is highly infectious and is primarily transmitted through droplets and contact.1 Early on March 10, 2020, there were 80,924 confirmed cases, 3,140 deaths, and 59,982, cured cases in China. A total of 7,478, 7,161, and 9,172 confirmed cases, and 53, 237, and 463 deaths have also been identified in South Korea, Iran, and Italy, respectively. The rapid spread of disease and increase in confirmed cases have posed a great challenge to the health care system of China and other countries. The shortage of treatment facilities and medical staff is a prominent problem in the face of a major epidemic.

Wuhan is the hardest-hit city due to the rapid increase in cases and limited medical resources during the early phase of the NCP epidemic. As a result, we developed a multidisciplinary self-managed home quarantine method that was not only effective in the control of the source of infection, but was also helpful in alleviating the shortage of medical resources in the later phase of the epidemic, along with the opening of specialized treatment facilities and support from medical experts nationwide.

In this study, we review the successful recovery of one mild case and one severe case to provide a practical management model for quarantine and epidemic prevention and control.

Clinical Data

General Information and Treatment Outcome

Case 1 was a 32-year-old male physician in the emergency department of a class A tertiary hospital. The patient had been healthy without any underlying disease but had contact with NCP patients. The patient presented with cough and rhinorrhea on January 15 and developed dyspnea, soreness, lack of strength, and fever (38.5°C) on January 19. He received oral oseltamivir, arbidol, and avelox as per the physician’s instructions and was rested and quarantined at home. From January 19 to 20, the patient had persistent fever with chest tightness, dyspnea, soreness, lack of strength, and diarrhea, and his SpO2 was 95–97%. His symptoms gradually improved after the use of the multidisciplinary self-quarantine method and his computed tomography (CT) results indicated significant absorption of lesions in the lung (Fig. 1). The patient’s throat swab samples tested negative for COVID-19 nucleic acid on February 20 and 21.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Changes in CT results of case 1. CT, computed tomography.

Case 2 was a 31-year-old male physician in the emergency department of a class A tertiary hospital. The patient had been healthy without any underlying disease but had contact with an NCP patient. The patient developed persistent fever (maximum 39.5°C) of unknown cause on January 5 and his CT results revealed blurry patchy shadows in the lower right lobe of the lung. The patient subsequently developed chest tightness and dyspnea on January 7 and was quarantined in the emergency department for observation. The patient was admitted into the respiratory department on January 10 and his CT results on January 14 indicated significant pathological changes. He was given alternating noninvasive mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, and his SpO2 was 89–97%. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 nucleic acid on January 16 and was thereby transferred to the ICU of a hospital dedicated for the treatment of NCP on January 17. The patient’s conditions began to improve on day 25 after onset, and his CT results indicated significant absorption of lesions in the lung (Fig. 2). The patient’s throat swab samples were consecutively tested negative for COVID-19 nucleic acid and fever was not detected for 17 days. The patient was eventually transferred to the general quarantine ward.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. Changes in CT results of case 2.

Detailed medical histories of case 1 and case 2 are given in Supplementary Data S1.

Multidisciplinary Self-Quarantine Model

Control of Source of Infection by Disinfection and Quarantine

Strict implementation of quarantine measures is a key to successful recovery. Both cases in this report were medical staff with a great knowledge of quarantine and good compliance. While case 1 was living by himself, case 2 was living with his family and had to undergo single-room quarantine. Both cases strictly implemented the instructions of the nursing staff, including (1) ventilating the room at least twice a day and having few simple items and a garbage bin with a cover in the room, (2) cleaning surfaces with 1,000 g/L chlorinated disinfectant or 75% alcohol at least once daily and washing hands frequently, (3) using a separate set of utensils for eating and washing and sterilizing (56°C for 30 min or longer) the utensils separately, and (4) sterilizing clothes at high temperature (60–90°C) then washing them separately with general laundry detergent, followed by complete drying.2

Close Online/Offline Monitoring by A Multidisciplinary Team and Classified Quarantine

Establishment of a multidisciplinary team and development of a quarantine observation form

We formed a quarantine team comprising experts in medicine, rehabilitation, psychology, and nursing, and created a WeChat group for ease of communication. Based on the clinical symptoms of NCP, we developed an online quarantine observation form (Table 1), in which each symptom can be evaluated using options in the pull-down menu. The two patients were asked to truthfully record their current symptoms and severity on this form through their phones, and the frequency of observation was determined based on their actual conditions by the multidisciplinary team. This form primarily contains general information of the two cases and progression of their clinical manifestations, such as fever, cough, and lack of strength.

Table 1. Online Quarantine Record Form for Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 Patients with Mild Symptoms

NAME Ke AGE 32 years old OCCUPATION Physician
INITIAL SYMPTOMS Fever and chest tightness DATE OF ONSET January 18, 2020 BODY TEMPERATURE 38.5°C
CHEST CT Features of viral pneumonia C-REACTIVE PROTEIN
PCT THROAT SWAB TEST Positive BLOOD TEST Increased monocytes
QUARANTINE FOLLOW-UP RECORD DATE, TIME, BODY TEMPERATURE, AND MENTAL STATE (1 TO 10, 1 = EXTREMELY POOR, 10 = EXTREMELY GOOD), OPTIONS FOR OTHER PARAMETERS ARE IN THE PULL-DOWN MENU
DATE TIME BODY TEMPERATURE (°C) MENTAL STATE MUSCLE SORENESS COUGHING CHEST TIGHTNESS DYSPNEA LACK OF STRENGTH DIARRHEA BLOOD OXYGEN SATURATION (%)
January 19, 2020 18:00 38 3 Severe No change Orthopnea No change Severe Watery stool, five times a day
January 19, 2020 22:00 37.8 3 Severe No change Orthopnea No change Severe Watery stool, six times a day
January 20, 2020 7:00 37.8 4 Severe No change Lacked endurance No change Severe Watery stool, four times a day 96
January 20, 2020 13:00 37 4 Exacerbated No change Lacked endurance No change Severe Absent 95
January 20, 2020 18:00 37 5 Exacerbated No change Lacked endurance No change Severe Absent 96
January 20, 2020 22:00 37.3 5 Severe No change Lacked endurance No change Severe Absent 96
January 21, 2020 8:00 36.8 5 Improved No change Lacked endurance Exacerbated Improved Absent 97
January 21, 2020 15:50 36.3 6 Improved No change Lacked endurance Exacerbated Improved Absent 96
January 21, 2020 21:30 36 7 Improved No change Lacked endurance Exacerbated Improved Absent 95
January 22, 2020 9:00 36.5 7 Improved No change Lacked endurance Exacerbated Improved Absent 95
January 22, 2020 15:50 36.4 7 Improved No change Lacked endurance Improved Improved Absent 96
January 22, 2020 21:00 36.4 7 Improved Severe Lacked endurance Improved Improved Absent 94
January 23, 2020 10:30 36.7 8 Absent Severe Improved Improved Improved Absent 95
January 23, 2020 21:00 35.8 7 Absent Severe Improved Improved Improved Absent 96
January 24, 2020 10:00 36.7 8 Absent Severe Lacked endurance Exacerbated Improved Absent 95
January 24, 2020 21:00 36.5 7 Absent Severe Lacked endurance Exacerbated Improved Absent 94
January 25, 2020 8:00 36.4 8 Absent Improved Improved Exacerbated Improved Watery stool, three times a day 96
January 25, 2020 21:00 36.4 7 Absent Improved Improved Improved Absent Absent 97
January 26, 2020 7:00 36.4 8 Absent Improved Improved Improved Absent Absent 96
January 26, 2020 20:00 36.7 7 Absent Improved Improved Improved Absent Absent 98
January 27, 2020 8:00 36.1 7 Absent Improved Improved Improved Absent Absent 96
January 27, 2020 19:00 36.7 7 Absent Improved Improved No change Absent Absent 97
January 28, 2020 9:00 36.4 8 Absent Improved Improved No change Absent Absent 96
January 28, 2020 20:00 36.5 7 Absent Improved Improved No change Absent Absent 97
January 29, 2020 8:00 36.4 8 Absent Improved Improved Improved Absent Absent 97
January 29, 2020 20:00 36.7 8 Absent Improved Improved Improved Absent Absent 96
January 30, 2020 8:00 36.4 8 Absent Improved Absent Improved Absent Absent 98
January 30, 2020 20:00 36.4 8 Absent Improved Absent Improved Absent Absent 99
January 31, 2020 8:00 36.5 8 Absent Improved Absent Improved Absent Absent 98
January 31, 2020 20:00 36.1 9 Absent Improved Absent Improved Absent Absent 100
February 1, 2020 8:00 36.6 10 Absent Improved Absent Improved Absent Absent 99

Online guidance for self-monitoring

The two home quarantine cases were asked to record their conditions at least once daily by our multidisciplinary team. Changes in conditions must be truthfully recorded and an emergency contact must be set up on each individual’s phone. Case 1 had a thermometer and a portable oximeter for measuring changes in body temperature and blood oxygen saturation, respectively. Changes in the conditions of case 1 from January 19 to February 1, 2020 are given in Table 1, and disease progression is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Case 2 developed persistent fever with chest tightness and dyspnea during the first 3 days of home quarantine. He was advised to stay in the emergency quarantine ward for symptomatic treatment during his follow-up visit and was subsequently hospitalized for treatment after 3 days due to worsening symptoms.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 3. Disease progression of case 1.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. Time of appearance and disappearance of clinical symptoms in case 1.

Online guidance for treatment regimen during quarantine

Treatment regimen was adjusted by the multidisciplinary team based on the efficacy reported in the online observation form. Case 1 had been taking oral oseltamivir, arbidol, and avelox for 8 days since January 19, and at 6:00 pm on January 28, he began to develop itchy rose spots on both hands with no sign of fever. After online consultation with a dermatologist, case 1 was recommended to take oral antiallergic medication (cetirizine) and apply calamine lotion, which gradually improved his skin rash. Given that the patient had elevated alanine aminotransferase level but improved clinical symptoms, treatment discontinuation and close monitoring were subsequently recommended. The patient’s conditions became stable in the next few days and his mental state gradually improved. Changes in symptoms of case 1 are shown in Figure 2.

Reduction of Susceptibility/Risk and Early Pulmonary Rehabilitation

A reduction in lymphocyte count may impact the immune function of NCP patients. Since there is currently no cure for NCP, the immune system is the key “weapon” for recovery.

Enhanced care, positive mentality, and improved resistance

Care for NCP patients should be enhanced during quarantine. Patients with diarrhea should consume low-sodium diets and avoid oily foods. Patients with fever should mainly consume rice soup, noodle, and vegetables to avoid exacerbation of diarrhea. Mentality is an important factor for overcoming a disease. Previous studies3,4 have shown that negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression, can adversely affect the cellular immunity of cancer patients and, in turn, affect treatment efficacy. When a person is quarantined alone at home, it is inevitable that he/she may feel physically uncomfortable, scared, lonely, and depressed. Although case 1 lived by himself, he was able to release his negative emotions by regularly talking with his family through phone or video calls and thereby maintain an optimistic attitude.

Early pulmonary rehabilitation and exercise

Patients were recommended to rest, avoid excessive work, and do pulmonary rehabilitation exercises when they feel physically fit. Baduanjin (eight section brocade)5 is a traditional Chinese exercise that regulates qi and blood in organs, restores metabolic functions, strengthens the body, activates physical vitality, and improves the immune system. Changes in patient’s blood oxygen saturation and heart rate were monitored in real-time during the exercise. When blood oxygen saturation dropped <95% or heart rate increased >120 beats/min, patients were recommended to stop exercising and to rest and adjust breathing.

Implications

Lesion absorption was slower than clinical symptom improvement, and symptom recurrence should not be neglected during observation and care.

The early imaging features of NCP are multiple small patchy shadows and interstitial changes in the outer zone of the lungs. These features can subsequently progress into multiple ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and infiltration shadows as well as pulmonary consolidation in severe cases. However, pleural effusion was rarely observed. As shown in Figure 1, the CT results of case 1 were normal on day 3 of symptoms, and GGOs were only observed on day 7 in his CT re-examination. Although the patient’s clinical symptoms improved and disappeared by day 11 of onset, his CT results showed significant expansion of GGOs, which suggests that the severity of symptoms in mild cases does not correspond to the severity of NCP detected by CT, and CT changes may emerge later than clinical manifestations during the early stage of the disease. As a result, infected individuals without CT changes are easily neglected, especially individuals without symptoms or with mild symptoms who are not quarantined, and the lack of attention to these individuals can lead to disease dissemination. Therefore, individuals with persistent symptoms such as fever, coughing, chest tightness, and diarrhea that are suggestive of NCP are recommended to seek medical attention immediately.2 Chest CT results should be used as an important basis for early screening, and quarantined individuals should return regularly for CT re-examination to allow physicians to monitor the progression of infection and to guide clinical treatment and care.

The multidisciplinary self-management model is worthy of wide application

The patients in this report were enrolled in the multidisciplinary self-management system since the early stage of the disease. The patients have filled out the online quarantine observation form based on the changes in their conditions, and experts in the multidisciplinary team were able to learn about the patient’s conditions timely, monitor the dynamic changes in their conditions, and provide further medical guidance. Nursing experts in the medical observation team provided guidance on quarantine and disinfection, oversaw the patients’ diet and sleeping schedule, and reminded the patients to record their conditions and drug-related reactions online at least twice per day. Rehabilitation experts developed a practical and feasible rehabilitation plan for the patients, and psychotherapists encouraged the patients to keep an optimistic attitude. All of these measures are very helpful for improving the patient’s immune response. It is also important to note that a quarantined individual is not alone as the medical observation team is always present to keep a close eye on the individual’s conditions and provide appropriate guidance. If continuous deterioration in conditions, <90% blood oxygen saturation, persistent fever and diarrhea, or reduction in mental state score, is observed, the quarantined individual is urged to seek medical attention to prevent delayed treatment. Our model enabled medical experts to closely monitor disease progression in both cases (one mild case and one severe case), which allowed the classified quarantine and treatment of the patients that ultimately resulted in satisfactory recovery. Given that the number of NCP patients is currently increasing, home quarantine may serve as an effective measure for controlling the source of infection as it reduces patient mobility.7 Active participation in self-monitoring by patients with mild symptoms not only improves the patient’s initiative but also helps compensate the overloaded medical system. It is worth noting that individuals must strictly adhere to the principles of quarantine when they are quarantined at home to avoid familial clustering of infection. As more shelters continue to open, our model may prove to be useful for the observation of sheltered and discharged patients as well as for the improvement of patients’ self-management capabilities.

In addition, the rapid spread of NCP has led to increased number of confirmed cases in other countries including South Korea, Japan, and Italy, posing a major threat to public health worldwide. Our online/offline multidisciplinary epidemic management model has demonstrated some success in the management of mild cases and screening of severe cases. Furthermore, clustered infection was not observed in cases 1 and 2 during the quarantine period. Our management model was not only helpful for the screening of confirmed or suspected cases during the early stage when there was a lack of knowledge about the infectious disease, but it was also useful for the management of mild and severe cases during the epidemic as well as for the follow-up of discharged patients. We believe that our model has great potentials in providing effective control of NCP in other countries and serves as a feasible response to a widespread infectious disease.

In summary, confirmed or suspected NCP patients with mild symptoms should ensure sufficient rest, have a balanced diet, and keep an optimistic attitude during the quarantine period. These patients should also monitor their conditions closely, improve self-management of the disease, fill out the quarantine observation form in time, report their conditions, and return for chest CT re-examination regularly under the guidance of the medical observation team. Our online/offline multidisciplinary management model has potential application in our specific quarantine sites and treatment facilities as well as in other countries with severe epidemic.

Acknowledgments

We thank the two patients who were willing to disclose their information in this article.

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval was obtained for this study from Ethical Committee of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (No. TJ-C20200136). The two patients gave written consent for their personal or clinical details along with any identifying images to be published in this study.

Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist.

Funding Information

This study was supported by the special fund for novel coronavirus pneumonia from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Grant No. 2020kfyXGYJ023).

Supplementary Material

Supplementary Data S1

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