How should I generally go about treating my non-ICU hospitalized patient with newly diagnosed Covid-19 and who doesn’t require more than conventional O2?

Much of the management of Covid-19 hospitalized patients who don’t require ICU care and need no more than conventional 02 (ie, high-flow or mechanical/non-mechanical ventilatory support) depends on the severity of their disease: “mild/moderate” (eg, SpO2≥94% on room air) vs “severe” (eg, Sp02<94% on room air) disease; respiration rate ≥30/min and lung infiltrates on chest radiograph>50% may also be considered, but I personally find these parameters less reliable.  Generally, patients hospitalized with Covid-19-related symptoms (respiratory or otherwise) require specific treatment to keep them from progressing or succumbing to their disease (see Figure below). 1-5

In patients with mild/moderate Covid-19, the first step is to determine whether they are at low risk (ie, NO risk factors) or high risk (ie, ≥1 risk factors) of progression to severe disease.  Recall that there are numerous risk factors for progression, including age (eg, ≥50 y) and many comorbidities, such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, smoking (current or former), disability (eg, wheelchair dependence), and mental health disorders (eg, depression), just to name a few.1 If your patient with mild/moderate Covid-19 has ANY Covid-related symptoms and ANY risk factors for progression, you should strongly consider IV remdesivir. If your patient’s admission has nothing to do with Covid-19 but qualify for anti-Covid treatment, an oral anti-viral regimen (eg, nirmatrelvir-ritonavir [Paxlovid]) used for ambulatory patients may also be considered (see related pearl on P4P). If your patient has NO risk factors for progression to severe disease, symptomatic treatment is all that’s needed.

If your patient has severe disease but no need for 02 supplementation, IV remdesivir and prophylactic heparin (either fractionated [eg, enoxaparin] or unfractionated) should be considered; no need for dexamethasone or systemic steroids in this situation.

If your patient has severe Covid-19 and needs supplemental 02, you should consider initiation of remdesivir, dexamethasone and, at the minimum, prophylactic anticoagulation with either a fractionated or unfractionated heparin product as soon as possible.  Use of therapeutic anticoagulation in this setting (ie, outside of ICU) is controversial with NIH guidelines recommending therapeutic heparin for those with elevated D-dimer without increased bleeding risk (CIIa, “weak” with moderate supportive evidence).2,6,7  You may also be able to forgo systemic steroids in your patient with minimal 02 requirement (ie, 1-2 L) per NIH, particularly if immunocompromised, as hypoxia in such patients may be more related to viral infection itself and not significant inflammatory reaction.

If your patient with severe Covid-19 gets progressively worse requiring high-flow oxygen or non-invasive ventilation outside of ICU, you should consider adding baricitinib as a first line immunomodulator (tocilizumab or others in NIH guidelines as an alternative)2 in patients who are not already immunocompromised or do not already have and are not at high risk of secondary infections.

The duration of remdesivir treatment in hospitalized patients is usually 5 days (or until discharge) for severe Covid-19, and 3 days for those with mild/moderate disease. The ultimate duration should be individualized in patients at risk of ongoing viral replication.  One retrospective study in immunocompromised patients hospitalized for Covid-19 found remdesivir to be effective in reducing hospitalization and mortality when initiated within 2 days of hospitalization and given for a median of 5 days, even among those not requiring 02 supplementation or requiring only low flow 02.

Couple more things to keep in mind when managing severe Covid-19. When indicated, remdesivir should be given ideally as early as possible and no later than 10 days after onset of symptoms and dexamethasone should be given for up to 10 days or until discharge.  Anticoagulation, prophylactic or therapeutic, should only be prescribed in the absence of any contraindications for bleeding (see Figure footnote) and continued until discharge for no more than 14 days total.

As with all drugs, please make sure you are thoroughly familiar with the dosing, adverse effects and contraindications to above-referenced medications before prescribing them.

Figure. Management of SARS-CoV-2 positive hospitalized patients requiring no or only conventional 02 due to Covid-19

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References

  1. CDC. Interim Clinical Considerations for COVID-19 Treatment in Outpatients | CDC. Accessed Feb 1, 2024
  2. NIH. Clinical Spectrum | COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines (nih.gov). Accessed Feb 1, 2024
  3. Uptodate. Coived-19 management in hospitalized patients. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/covid-19-management-in-hospitalized-adults. Accessed Feb 5, 2024.
  4. Bash K, Sacha G, Latifi M. Covid-19: A management update. Clev Clin J Med 2023;90:677-683. https://www.ccjm.org/content/90/11/677
  5. Mozaffari E, Chandak A, Gottlieb RL, et al. Remdesivir reduced mortality in immunocompromised patients hospitalized for Covid-19 across variant waves: Findings from routine clinical practice. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77;1626-34. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37556727/
  6. Merz LE, Fogerty AE. The conundrum of anticoagulation for hospitalized patient with Covid-19. NEJM Evidence 2023;2 (2).  https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/EVIDe2200329
  7. ATTACC, CTIV-4a, REMAP-CAP Investigators. Therapeutic anticoagulation with heparin in noncritically patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med 2021; 385:790-802. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34351721/

Disclosures/Disclaimers: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Mercy Hospital-St. Louis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, their affiliate academic healthcare centers, or its contributors. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

How should I generally go about treating my non-ICU hospitalized patient with newly diagnosed Covid-19 and who doesn’t require more than conventional O2?

When should I consider treating my adult ambulatory patient with newly diagnosed Covid-19 with an antiviral drug?

You should seriously consider prescribing an antiviral agent either oral nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) (within 5 days of onset of symptoms) or IV remdesivir (within 7 days of onset of symptoms) in all your ambulatory patients with mild/moderate Covid-19 at high risk of progression (ie, ≥1 risk factors) to severe disease (Figure). 1-3 Both of these drugs reduce hospitalization and mortality from Covid-19 by over 85%!1 Oral molnupiravir may be prescribed as a second-line agent (within 5 days of onset of symptoms), if neither Paxlovid or remdesivir is an option and the patient is not pregnant. There is no indication for the use of  dexamethasone or systemic steroids in the treatment of Covid-19 in ambulatory settings. As with all drugs, you should be familiar with adverse-effects and contraindications of these anti-viral agents before prescribing them. 

Couple of questions to ask when managing a patient with newly diagnosed Covid-19 in ambulatory setting:

  1. Does your patient truly have mild/moderate disease (eg, Sp02 on room air ≥94% on room air and not tachypneic) or severe disease (eg, Sp02 on room air <94%)?4 If severe disease is likely, you should refer your patient to a hospital for evaluation and treatment as soon as possible. If your patient is not symptomatic from Covid-19, no antiviral treatment is indicated. 
  2. Once you decide your patient has mild/moderate disease and doesn’t need to go to hospital, ask whether your patient has any risk factor associated with progression to severe Covid-19.2 Recall that there are numerous risk factors, including age over 50 and many physical disabilities, smoking (current or former) and mental health disorders, such as depression, ADHD, autism and depression that may be present even in the younger population.2
    • In the absence of any risk factor for progression, no antiviral therapy is indicated.

In the presence of 1 or more risk factors for progression or contraindications, you should consider initiation of Paxlovid x 5 days, if within 5 days of onset of Covid-19 symptoms or IV remdesivir x 3 days, if within 7 days of onset of Covid-19 symptoms.  

  • Remember that although Paxlovid may potentially interact with numerous drugs, fewer such drugs are absolutely contraindicated. Convenient online resources are available to help you decide if your patient can still receive Paxlovid safely.
  • Also don’t forget that remdesivir can now be given without dosage adjustment in renal insufficiency, including those on dialysis. 

If for some reason neither Paxlovid nor remdesivir is an option, oral molnupiravir can be considered with some caveats, including recommendations against its use during pregnancy and use of effective contraception during and following treatment in people who engage in sexual activity that may result in conception. 

Irrespective of treatment, it is prudent to monitor for any deterioration of sp02 at home when managing patients with mild/moderate Covid-19.  

Bonus pearl: Did you know that despite its high efficacy (89% reduction in hospitalization and death) against Covid-19,1,5 Paxlovid is severely underutilized in the outpatient setting with fewer than 25% of eligible patients with Covid-19 receiving it?6

Figure: Covid-19 management in ambulatory adult patients

 

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References

  1. Rubin R. Paxlovid Is Effective but Underused—Here’s What the Latest Research Says About Rebound and More | Infectious Diseases | JAMA | JAMA Network Published online January 31, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.28254
  2. Interim Clinical Considerations for COVID-19 Treatment in Outpatients | CDC. Accessed Feb 1, 2024
  3. Molnupiravir | COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines (nih.gov). Accessed Feb 1, 2024.
  4. Clinical Spectrum | COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines (nih.gov). Accessed Feb 1, 2024
  5. Appaneal HJ, LaPlante KL, Lopes VV, et al. Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir utilization for the treatment of non-hospitalized adults with Covid-10 in the National Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. Infectious Diseases and Therapy 204;13:155-172. Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir Utilization for the Treatment of Non-hospitalized Adults with COVID-19 in the National Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System | Infectious Diseases and Therapy (springer.com)
  6. Hammond J, Leister-Tebbe H, Gardner A, et al. Oral Nirmatrelvir for high-risk, nonhospitalized adults with Covid-19. N Engl J Med 2022; 386:397-408. Oral Nirmatrelvir for High-Risk, Nonhospitalized Adults with Covid-19 – PubMed (nih.gov)

 

Disclosures/Disclaimers: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Mercy Hospital-St. Louis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, their affiliate academic healthcare centers, or its contributors. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

 

 

When should I consider treating my adult ambulatory patient with newly diagnosed Covid-19 with an antiviral drug?

How might categorizing severity of illness help in the management of my patient with Covid-19?

Although the criteria for Covid-19 severity of illness categories may overlap at times or vary across guidelines and clinical trials, I have found those published in the National Institute of Health (USA) Covid-19 Treatment Guidelines most useful and uptodate.1  Keep in mind that the primary basis for severity categories in Covid-19 is the degree by which it alters pulmonary anatomy and physiology and respiratory function (see my table below).

The first question to ask when dealing with Covid-19 patients is whether they have any signs or symptoms that can be attributed to the disease (eg, fever, cough, sore throat, malaise, headache, muscle pain, lack of sense of smell). In the absence of any attributable symptoms, your patient falls into “Asymptomatic” or “Presymptomatic” category.  These patients should be monitored for any new signs or symptoms of Covid-19 and should not require additional laboratory testing or treatment.

If symptoms of Covid-19 are present (see above), the next question to ask is whether the patient has any shortness of breath or abnormal chest imaging. If neither is present, the illness can be classified as “Mild” with no specific laboratory tests or treatment indicated in otherwise healthy patients. These patients may be safely managed in ambulatory settings or at home through telemedicine or remote visits. Those with risk factors for severe disease (eg, older age, obesity, cancer, immunocompromised state), 2 however, should be closely monitored as rapid clinical deterioration may occur.

Once lower respiratory tract disease based on clinical assessment or imaging develops, the illness is no longer considered mild. This is a good time to check a spot 02 on room air and if it’s 94% or greater at sea level, the illness qualifies for “Moderate” severity. In addition to close monitoring for signs of progression, treatment for possible bacterial pneumonia or sepsis should be considered when suspected. Corticosteroids are not recommended here and there are insufficient data to recommend either for or against the use of remdesivir in patients with mild/moderate Covid-19.

Once spot 02 on room air drops below 94%, Covid-19 illness is considered “Severe”; other parameters include respiratory rate >30, Pa02/Fi02 < 300 mmHg or lung infiltrates >50%. Here, patients require further evaluation, including pulmonary imaging, ECG, CBC with differential and a metabolic profile, including liver and renal function tests. C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer and ferritin are also often obtained for their prognostic value. These patients need close monitoring, preferably in a facility with airborne infection isolation rooms.  In addition to treatment of bacterial pneumonia or sepsis when suspected, consideration should also be given to treatment with corticosteroids. Remdesivir is recommended for patients who require supplemental oxygen but whether it’s effective in those with more severe hypoxemia (eg, those who require oxygen through a high-flow device, noninvasive or invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-ECMO) is unclear. Prone ventilation may be helpful here in patients with refractory hypoxemia as long as it is not used to avoid intubation in those who otherwise require mechanical ventilation.

“Critical” illness category is the severest forms of Covid-19 and includes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), septic shock, cardiac dysfunction and cytokine storm. In addition to treatment for possible bacterial pneumonia or sepsis when suspected, corticosteroids and supportive treatment for hemodynamic instability and ARDS, including prone ventilation, are often required. The effectiveness of remdesivir in patients with severe hypoxemia (see above) is unclear at this time.

 

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 References

  1. NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/. Accessed Aug 27, 2020.
  2. CDC. Covid-19.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html/. Accessed Aug 27, 2020.  

Disclosures: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, its affiliate academic healthcare centers, or its contributors. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

 

How might categorizing severity of illness help in the management of my patient with Covid-19?

When should I consider systemic corticosteroids in my patient with Covid-19?

As of July 30, 2020, The National Institute of Health (NIH) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Guidelines Panel recommends using dexamethasone 6 mg per day for up to 10 days for the treatment of Covid-19 in patients who are mechanically ventilated (“Strong” recommendation based on 1 or more randomized trials) with a a less strong recommendation (“Moderate”) in those who require supplemental oxygen but who are not mechanically ventilated.1

These recommendations appear to primarily stem from a multicenter, open label randomized controlled trial of dexamethasone vs standard of care in hospitalized patients in United Kingdom, 2 with treated group receiving dexamethasone 6 mg IV or orally daily for 10 days or until hospital discharge (whichever came first).  Mortality at 28 days was significantly lower among patients on mechanical ventilation who received dexamethasone (29.3% vs 41.4%, rate ratio 0.64, 95% CI, 0.51-0.81) and in those receiving supplemental oxygen without mechanical ventilation (23.3% vs 26.2%). The risk of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation was also lower in the dexamethasone group. No significant difference in mortality was found in patients who did not require supplemental oxygen. 

Retrospective and case series studies have reported conflicting results on the efficacy of corticosteroid for the treatment of covid-19. 3-10 That’s why despite its limitations (open label, wide range of 02 supplementation, few patients receiving remdesvir), the randomized controlled trial discussed above should guide our decision making on the use of corticosteroids in patients with Covid-19.

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References

  1. NIH. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Guidelines. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/immune-based-therapy/immunomodulators/corticosteroids/ Accessed August 6, 2020.
  2. Horby P, Lim WS, Emberson JR, et al. Dexamethasone in hospitalized patients with Covid-19—Preliminary report. N Engl J Med 2020; July 17, 2020. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2021436
  3. Keller MJ, Kitsis EA, Arora S, et al. Effect of systemic glucocorticoids on mortality or mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19. J Hosp Med 2020;15(8):489-493. https://www.journalofhospitalmedicine.com/jhospmed/article/225402/hospital-medicine/effect-systemic-glucocorticoidsmortalityor-mechanical
  4. Wang Y, Jiang W, He Q, et al. A retrospective cohort study of methylprednisolone therapy in severe patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2020;5(1):57. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32341331
  5. Wu C, Chen X, Cai Y, et al. Risk factors associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome and death in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA Intern Med. 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32167524
  6. Corral L, Bahamonde A, Arnaiz delas Revillas F, et al. GLUCOCOVID: A controlled trial of methylprednisolone in adults hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. medRxiv. 2020. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.17.20133579v1
  7. Fadel R, Morrison AR, Vahia A, et al. Early short course corticosteroids in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Clin Infect Dis. 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32427279
  8. Fernandez Cruz A, Ruiz-Antoran B, Munoz Gomez A, et al. Impact of glucocorticoid treatment in SARS-CoV-2 infection mortality: a retrospective controlled cohort study. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32571831
  9. Yang Z, Liu J, Zhou Y, Zhao X, Zhao Q, Liu J. The effect of corticosteroid treatment on patients with coronavirus infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Infect. 2020;81(1):e13-e20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32283144

 10. Lu X, Chen T, Wang Y, Wang J, Yan F. Adjuvant corticosteroid therapy for critically ill patients with COVID-19. Crit Care. 2020;24(1):241. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32430057

Disclosures: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, its affiliate academic healthcare centers, or its contributors. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

 

When should I consider systemic corticosteroids in my patient with Covid-19?

Catch these selected key clinical pearls on coronavirus disease (Covid-19)!

Although the Covid-19 pandemic is continuing to evolve and our knowledge of its epidemiology and pathophysiology is still far from complete, you may find the following pearls based on published literature to date useful when discussing this disease with your colleagues or the public. 1-11

  • Age group: Primarily an adult disease. Children (< 15-year-old) account for only a minority of symptomatic patients (<1%); ~50% of patients are between 15-49 years of age with 15% in the ≥ 65 year group. 1
  • Incubation period: A bit longer than seasonal flu. Median 4.0 days (IQR 2.0-7.0 days); an upper range up to 24 days has also been reported. In contrast, for seasonal flu the median incubation period is shorter (median 2.0 days, 1.0-7.0 days. 1,4,11
  • Transmission: Contact, droplet, and possibly airborne. On average each person may transmit Covid-19 virus to 2-3 other persons (vs <2 people for seasonal flu). Unlike SARS or MERS, but more akin to the seasonal flu, asymptomatic persons may also be able to transmit the disease. 4,5,11
  • Comorbid conditions (eg, diabetes, hypertension, COPD…): Present in about 1/3 of reported patients. 1
  • Symptoms 1,5
    • ~80% of patients may be either asymptomatic or have mild disease
    • Fever may be absent in ~50% of patients on presentation but will eventually develop in ~90% of hospitalized patients
    • Cough (2/3 dry) is present in majority (~80%) of cases
    • Rhinorrhea is uncommon (<10%), in contrast to the seasonal influenza
    • GI symptoms (nausea/vomiting/diarrhea) are uncommon by some reports(<10%), but not by others (>30.0%). 12
    • May take 9-12 days from onset of symptoms to severe disease
  • Labs 1
    • Lymphopenia is common (up to ~80%)
    • Abnormal liver function (AST and ALT) is found in about 1/3 of patients
    • C-reactive protein (CRP) is usually elevated (~80% of severe cases)
    • Procalcitonin is usually normal
  • Treatment: Supportive for now. Candidate drugs include remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, chloroquine phosphate, ribavirin and several others.4
  • Mortality: Reported mortality among mostly symptomatic hospitalized cases is ~2.0% (0.9% without comorbidities, 5-10% in those with comorbidities, 50% among critically ill). Overall mortality rates will likely drop as more patients without symptoms or with mild disease are tested. In contrast, 2 other coronavirus diseases, SARS and MERS, have mortality rates of ~9.0% and 36.0%, respectively. 1,4,5

 

Bonus pearl: Did you know that, Covid-19-infected patients shed the virus in their nasopharyngeal secretions on the average for 12 days, some as long as 24 days?3

 

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References

  1. Guan W, Ni Z, Hu Y, et al. Clinical characteristics of Coronavirus disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med 2020. First published Feb 28, 220, last updated March 6, 2020. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
  2. Holshue ML, DeBolt C, Lindquist S, et al. First case of 2019 novel Coronavirus in the United States. N Engl J Med 2020; 382:929-36. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191
  3. Young BE, Ong SWX, Kalimuddin S, et al. Epidemiologic features and clinical course of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Singapore. JAMA. Doi:10.1001/jama.2020.3204. Published online March 3, 2020. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762688
  4. Wang Y, Wang Y, Chen Y, et al. Unique epidemiological and clinical features of the emerging 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) implicate special control measures. J Med Virol 2020. Doi: 10.1002/jmv.25748. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32134116
  5. Fauci AS, Lane HC, Redfield RR. Covid-19—Navigating the uncharted. N Eng J Med 2020. DOI:10.1056/NEJMe2002387. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2002387
  6. Del Rio C, Malani PN. 2019 novel coronavirus—important information for clinicians. JAMA 2020, Feb 5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32022836
  7. Lipsitch M, Swerdlow DL, Finelli L. Defining the epidemiology of Covid-19—studies needed. N Engl J Med 2020. Feb 19. DOI:10.1056/NEJMp2002125. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32074416/
  8. Morens DM, Daszak P, Taubenberger JK. Escaping Pandora’s box—another novel coronavirus. N Eng J Med 2020. Feb 26. DOI:10.1056/NEJMp2002106. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2002106
  9. She J, Jiang J, Ye L, et al. 2019 novel coronavirus of pneumonia in Wuhan, China: merging attack and management strategies. Clin Trans Med 2020;9:19. https://clintransmed.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40169-020-00271-z
  10. Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet 2020; 395: 497-506. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext
  11. Bai Y, Yao L, Wei T, et al. Presumed asymptomatic carrier transmission of COVID-19. JAMA 2020. Feb 21. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762028
  12. Pan L, Mu M, Yang P, et al. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with digestive symptoms in Hubei, China: a descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter study. Am j Gastroenterol 2020. https://journals.lww.com/ajg/Documents/COVID_Digestive_Symptoms_AJG_Preproof.pdf
Catch these selected key clinical pearls on coronavirus disease (Covid-19)!