The LDL, HDL and TC levels in the patients that did not survive (n = 4) decreased continuously until death (Fig. 1, Supplementary Table S1). Particularly, LDL levels showed an irreversible decrease by the most percentage (~60%) until death (1.1 (0.9–1.2), p = 0.02 versus the levels on admission) (Fig. 1, Supplementary Table S1). Supplementary table S2 showed a timeline of disease course for a non-surviving patient, from hospital admission to death, with continuous and irreversible decreases in LDL, HDL, and TC levels. LDL, HDL and TC levels in normal subjects and non-COVID-19 patients (COPD) control groups did not show significant difference as compared with the levels in COVID-19 patients before their viral infections (Supplementary Table S3). Logistic regression analysis showed increasing odds of lowered LDL levels associated with disease progression (Chi-Square = 7.49; p = 0.006; odds ratio: 4.48, 95% IC: 1.55–12.92, p = 0.006) and in-hospital mortality (Chi-Square = 10.87; p = 0.001; odds ratio: 21.72, 95% IC: 1.40–337.54, p = 0.028). The ratio changes of LDL, HDL and TC inversely correlated with the ratio changes of hsCRP during the disease course (Fig. 1).