Abstract It is presently unknown whether imported cases of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have different characteristics when compared with local cases. To compare the clinical characteristics of local cases of COVID-19 in China compared with those imported from abroad. This was a retrospective study of confirmed cases of COVID-19 admitted at the Beijing Ditan Fever Emergency Department between February 29 th , 2020, and March 27 th , 2020. The clinical characteristics of the patients were compared between local and imported cases. Compared with local cases, the imported cases were younger (27.3 ± 11.7 vs. 43.6 ± 22.2 years, P < .001), had a shorter interval from disease onset to admission (1.0 (0.0–2.0) vs 4.0 (2.0–7.0) days, P < .001), lower frequencies of case contact (17.4% vs 94.1%, P < .001), fever (39.1% vs 82.4%, P < .001), cough (33.3% vs 51.0%, P = .03), dyspnea (1.9% vs 11.8%, P = .01), fatigue (7.5% vs. 27.5%, P = 0.001), muscle ache (4.7% vs. 25.5%, P < 0.001), and comorbidities ( P < .05). The imported cases were less severe than the local cases, with 40.4% versus 5.9% mild cases, 2.8% versus 15.7% severe cases, and no critical cases ( P < .001). The length of hospital stay was longer in imported cases than in local cases (32.3 ± 14.5 vs 21.7 ± 11.2 days, P < .001). The imported cases showed smaller biochemical perturbations than the local cases. More imported cases had no sign of pneumonia at computed tomography (45.0% vs 14.9%, P = .001), and none had pleural effusion (0% vs 14.9%, P < .001). Compared with local cases, the imported cases of COVID-19 presented with milder disease and less extensive symptoms and signs.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Clinical characteristics, imported cases, disease presentation, 【초록키워드】 fatigue, Pneumonia, Comorbidity, Local, Symptom, cough, China, Computed tomography, Retrospective study, Characteristics, Fever, Dyspnea, 2019 coronavirus disease, severe cases, disease, Admission, Frequency, Emergency, Contact, disease onset, Perturbation, Hospital stay, confirmed case, Critical case, biochemical, muscle ache, Beijing, mild cases, Department, the patient, less, had no, 【제목키워드】 Local, Comparative, retrospective cohort study,