Older age was associated with greater risk of development of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and death likely owing to less rigorous immune response. Although high fever was associated with the development of ARDS, it was also associated with better outcomes among patients with ARDS.

Moreover, treatment with methylprednisolone may be beneficial for patients who develop ARDS.

Of 201 patients, the median age was 51 years (interquartile range, 43-60 years), and 128 (63.7%) patients were men.

84 patients (41.8%) developed ARDS, and of those 84 patients, 44 (52.4%) died.

In those who developed ARDS, compared with those who did not, more patients presented with dyspnea and had comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes.

In bivariate Cox regression analysis, risk factors associated with the development of ARDS and progression from ARDS to death included older age, neutrophilia, and organ and coagulation dysfunction.

Retrospective cohort study of 201 patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital in China between December 25, 2019, and January 26, 2020.

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