Objective To guide clinical diagnosis prediction and treatment by analyzing the clinical characteristics of 12 patients with severe novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) retrospectively.

Methods 12 patients with severe COVID-19, who were treated in the third isolation area of Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital from Janunary to February 2020 were selected. Dynamic changes of clinical symptoms, routine blood test of lymphocyte count, oxygenation index, liver and kidney function, and chest CT were observed to analyze its clinical characteristics.

Results 11 severe COVID-19 patients had fever, 12 cases coughed, 9 cases with dyspnea, 11 cases with fatigue, and 11 cases of anorexia. The absolute value of lymphocytes in severe COVID-19 patients decreased significantly. The lowest value was (0.66±0.23)×10⁹/L, which lasted for (12.09±5.91) days. The oxygenation index decreased significantly, its lowest value was (166.08±59.05) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), and the oxygenation index below 300 mmHg lasted for (10.00±4.95) days. Early chest CT showed multi-lobed with multiple patches or ground glass in both lungs. The range of the image increased as the disease progressed, the lungs were partially consolidated, a few with pleural effusion. Chest CT image showed that 66.67% patients in the recovery period with fiber strands image.

Conclusions Blood routine lymphocyte value, oxygenation index value, and early chest CT characteristics represent the important indicators for the patients with severe COVID-19, and are of great significance in early treatment for severe COVID-19 patients.