J Korean Med Sci.  2020 Aug;35(30):e280. 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e280.

Clinical Course and Outcomes of 3,060 Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Korea, January–May 2020

• Sung HK
• Kim JY
• Heo J
• Seo H
• Jang Ys
• Kim H
• Koh BR
• Jo N
• Oh HS
• Baek YM
• Park KH
• Shon JA
• Kim MC
• Kim JH
• Chang HH
• Park Y
• Kang YM
• Lee DH
• Oh DH
• Park HJ
• Song KH
• Lee EK
• Jeong H
• Lee JY
• Ko JY
• Choi J
• Ryu EH
• Chung Kh
• Oh Md
• The Korea National Committee for Clinical Management of COVID-19

• KMID: 2505195
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e280

Abstract

Background
The fatality rate of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) varies among countries owing to demographics, patient comorbidities, surge capacity of healthcare systems, and the quality of medical care. We assessed the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 during the first wave of the epidemic in Korea.
Methods
Using a modified World Health Organization clinical record form, we obtained clinical data for 3,060 patients with COVID-19 treated at 55 hospitals in Korea. Disease severity scores were defined as: 1) no limitation of daily activities; 2) limitation of daily activities but no need for supplemental oxygen; 3) supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula; 4) supplemental oxygen via facial mask; 5) non-invasive mechanical ventilation; 6) invasive mechanical ventilation; 7) multi-organ failure or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy; and 8) death. Recovery was defined as a severity score of 1 or 2, or discharge and release from isolation.
Results
The median age of the patients was 43 years of age; 43.6% were male. The median time from illness onset to admission was 5 days. Of the patients with a disease severity score of 3–4 on admission, 65 (71.5%) of the 91 patients recovered, and 7 (7.7%) died due to illness by day 28. Of the patients with disease severity scores of 5–7, 7 (19.5%) of the 36 patients recovered, and 8 (22.2%) died due to illness by day 28. None of the 1,324 patients who were < 50 years of age died; in contrast, the fatality rate due to illness by day 28 was 0.5% (2/375), 0.9% (2/215), 5.8% (6/104), and 14.0% (7/50) for the patients aged 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and ≥ 80 years of age, respectively.
Conclusion
In Korea, almost all patients of < 50 years of age with COVID-19 recovered without supplemental oxygen. In patients of ≥ 50 years of age, the fatality rate increased with age, reaching 14% in patients of ≥ 80 years of age.

Keyword

COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Prognosis; Cohort Study; Korea

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Geographic and demographic distribution of patients with COVID-19 in Korea, as of May 31, 2020. (A) The map shows geographical distribution of patients with COVID-19 in Korea, as of May 31, 2020. The numerator denotes the number of patients who were included in this study and the denominator denotes the number of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases for each city and province. (B) Age and sex distribution. Dark bars and proportions denote cases included in this study.COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019.

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