Chinese scientist discusses COVID-19 possible treatment during 7th STEP

18 May. 2020

Jian-cang ZHOU, Executive Vice-President of Jiangshan Hospital affiliated to Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China, gave a presentation regarding "the Experiences of China in Dealing with COVID-19" during the 7^th Science and Technology Exchange Program (STEP) on May 18, 2020.

He stated that so far "the confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide are over four million, with mortality being over 285,000 deaths."

Jian-cang gave a summary of a report of 72,314 cases from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to which 81% of cases were classified as mild pneumonia. However, 14% were severe with dyspnea, respiratory frequency ≥30/min, blood oxygen saturation ≤93%, partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio <300, and/or lung infiltrates >50% within 24 to 48 hours, and 5% were critical with respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction or failure.

"In general, three weeks is needed for a COVID-19 patient to heal, but those patients in better conditions take 9-10 days to heal," Jian-cang remarked.

Further, he stated "there are many potential treatments for the disease."

According to him, "there is Antivirus treatment which includes the timely elimination of pathogens. This method uses Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Arbidol, Chloroquine, Interferon-γ nebulization, and convalescent plasma."

The second method is "inhibition of cytokine cascade, through short-term low-dose Glucocorticoids, immunotherapy, and blood purification treatment."

There is also "Respiratory Support through Cannula or mask oxygen inhalation, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (if the patient's condition does not improve or worsens within 1-2 hours), and invasive mechanical ventilation. Jian-cang also introduced salvage therapies through "ventilation, ling recruitment, and extracorporeal membrane pulmonary oxygenation (ECMO)."

He stated that "the use of corticosteroid is still controversial and is used only for patients with rapid deterioration of oxygenation, radiology imaging, and excessive inflammation."

"So far no medicine has been able to eradicate this virus," he added.

Pointing to the international accreditation of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, he presented an overview of this hospital located in East China's Zhejiang Province, where, according to South China Morning Post, there have been a total of 1,205 confirmed COVID-19 cases and one death as of March 2020.

"There are two campuses with 2400 beds, 5046 staff; including 188 senior and 357 associate professional titles," he said. "The hospital is capable of providing medical service for about 3.6 million patients every year."

News Source: MSTF Media