RESUMO
Objective To discuss the problem of upper respiratory tract infection presenting various clinical manifestations in adults thereby likely making misdiagnosis and to put forth the patients with the symptom of acute abdominal pain as examples in order to caution emergency physicians to avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment.Methods Data of 58 adult patients with upper respiratory tract infection were collected from January 2010 to December 2011.The chief complain of these patients was acute abdominal pain.After analysis of data including clinical history,symptoms and signs,laboratory findings and medication,patients were divided into two groups post hoc:correctly diagnosed group (group A) and misdiagnosed group (group B).In group A,anti-chill medicine such as tylenol cold tablets (a compositus of paracetamol,pseudoephedrine hydrochloride,dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine) was given to patients,while in group B,anisodamine (muscarine cholinergic blocker) and antibiotics were given instead of anti-chill medicine.The anti-chill medicine such as tylenol cold tablets would be given to patients of group B when abdominal pain was not released 8-48 hours after treatment.The course of treatment and outcome of patients in the two groups were observed.Results Of 28 patients in group A,27 had abdominal pain relieved or disappeared 2-3 hours after treatment and only 1 patient had abdominal pain lasted 12 hours after treatment.Of 30 patients in the group B,only 2 patients presenting the symptom of acute gastroenteritis got totally relived 2-3 hours after treatment,while the rest of 28 patients did not get rid of abdominal pain,or only had brief period of painlessness after anisodamine injection.Alternatively,8-48 hours later as Tylenol Cold Tablets was given to patients of group B,the abdominal pain was relieved or disappeared after 2-3 hours without recurrence in 2-48 hours.Conclusions Upper respiratory tract infection manifests diversely in adults,and acute abdominal pain could be a main clinical manifestation.Anti-chill medicine,such as tylenol cold tablets,has a noticeably therapeutic effect for acute abdominal pain caused by upper respiratory tract infection in adults,while anisodamine injection makes poor efficacy.