Clinical Manifestations, Laboratory Findings, and Treatment Outcomes of SARS Patients

Clinical Manifestations, Laboratory Findings, and Treatment Outcomes of SARS Patients

Jann-Tay Wang, Wang-Huei Sheng, Chi-Tai Fang, Yee-Chun Chen, Jiun-Ling Wang, Chong-Jen Yu, Shan-Chwen Chang, Pan-Chyr Yang

Clinical and laboratory data on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), particularly on the temporal progression of abnormal laboratory findings, are limited. We conducted a prospective study on the clinical, radiologic, and hematologic findings of SARS patients with pneumonia, who were admitted to National Taiwan University Hospital from March 8 to June 15, 2003. Fever was the most frequent initial symptom, followed by cough, myalgia, dyspnea, and diarrhea. Twenty-four patients had various underlying diseases. Most patients had elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and lymphopenia. Other common abnormal laboratory findings included leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated levels of aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase. These clinical and laboratory findings were exacerbated in most patients during the second week of disease. The overall case-fatality rate was 19.7%. By multivariate analysis, underlying disease and initial CRP level were predictive of death.

2004

severe acute respiratory syndrome, C-reactive protein, intravenous immunoglobulin, Taiwan

DOI: 10.3201/eid1005.030640

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine

EN