ABSTRACT
Objective To analyse the plasma glucose change in the patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to discuss its possible mechanism. Methods The clinical data of 61 cases with SARS in Tianjin were retrospectively analysed. Results Plasma glucose level increased in 26 cases with SARS, among them, 2 cases suffered from diabetes before SARS onset, 24 cases were diagnosed as the secondary diabetes whose blood glucose level recovered normal after SARS were cured, except 4 cases who were dead. All of the 61 cases were treated with glucocorticoids. If the patients were grouped by the dose of methylprednisolone they received, 9 out of 14 cases with large dose, 14 out of 26 cases with middle dose and 1 out of 21 cases with small dose were led to secondary diabetes. There was significant difference in the incidence of the secondary diabetes between the small dose group and middle/large dose groups (P