ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Clinical syndrome of leptospirosis in Korea which accompanied by hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, respiratory failure was quite different from that of typical Weil's disease. The death rate in the early stage of disease has relationship with chest X-ray findings and acid-base disturbances resulted from hypoxia and asphyxia. We've come to consider chest X-ray findings and arterial blood gas findings as factors influencing the prognosis of the disease. METHODS: Forty one cases of leptospirosis diagnosed by acute febrille illness symptoms and serologic tests were graded for chest X-ray findings and grouped according to acid-base abnormalities. Retrospectively, we attempted to correlate the acid-base disturbances and chest X-ray findings with morbidity and mortality of the disease. RESULTS: The result were as follows. 1) Abnormal chest X-ray findings were observed in 30 cases(73%). Mortalities according to the chest X-ray findings were 0(0%), 2(17%), 3(0%), 4(0%), 5(33%), 6(50%) and chest X-ray findings influenced the mortality with statistical significance(p<0.05). 2) Acid-base abnormalities were observed in 39 cases(95%) and the types were divided to six groups . Respiratory alkalosis was the most common acid-base disturbance(44%). Five cases were died. Two of five were respiratory alkalosis, two cases were mixed respiratory metabolic acidosis and another case was mixed respiratory-metabolic alkalosis. As shown, acid-base abnormality influenced the mortality and mixed acid-base disturbances were showed high mortality with statistical significance (p<0.05). 3) Total mortality was 12%(five of forty-one). The chest X-ray score, morbidity, pH, pCO2, pO2, and HCO3 were 5.0 +/- 0.8, 3.4 +/- 1,3, 7.16 +/- 0.17, 32.5 +/- 1.1, 43.3 +/- 13.4 and 17.6 +/- 3.1 in died group, 2.4 +/- 0.4, 12.7 +/- 1.0, 7.46 +/- 0.01, 48.8 +/- 13.4, 65.4 +/- 3.7 and 23.4 +/- 0.9 in recovery group, respectively. There was difference between two groups with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: In this study, we concluded that chest X-ray findings and acid-base abnormalities influenced the mortality of leptospirosis. The factors above mentioned make us consider chest X-ray and blood gas analysis are essential to the patient hospitalized for the suspicion of leptospirosis. Especially, these factors pointed out the patient having chest X-ray abnormalities and mixed acid-base disturbances needed intensive care in the early stage of leptospirosis.