CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the clinical features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Methods Clinical data of 70 patients with SARS were retrospectively analyzed. Results The age of the patients ranged from 10 to 74 years old (mean age 33.81?12.73 years). Severe type of SARS was diagnosed in 38 patients and 32 as common type of SARS. The most common symptoms included fever(98.57%), malaise(80.00%), cough(74.28%), shortness of breath (55.71%), headache(38.57%). The fever lasted for 7.20?4.57d. Based on the symptoms and chest X-ray examination, the disease was classified into early stage, progressive stage, and recovery stage with a mean duration of 3.19?2.32d, 8.18?4.36d, and 8.82?7.01d, respectively. It was found that the incidence of severe type of SARS was higher with the increase of age. Compared with common type of SARS, the fever in patients with severe type of SARS was more difficult to control (the mean highest fever 38.74?0.97℃, 38.02?0.14℃, respectively). The duration of fever after treatment (4.12?3.19d, 2.37?1.75d, respectively) was longer in the illness course (27.78?9.99d, 14.93?5.80d, respectively). The ALT, LDH and HBDH in patients with severe type of SARS were higher than those in patients with common type of SARS (ALT78.95%,50.00%, respectively; LDH, HBDH42.11%, 18.75%, respectively). Advanced age, pre-existing chronic disease, and elevation of LDH and HBDH were the factors of poor prognosis. Combination therapy was the first choice for the treatment of SARS. Empirical use of glucocorticoid was useful in preventing progression of the disease. Conclusion Although severe type of SARS had a high mortality, combination therapy could be very effective in the treatment of the majority of patients.