title: [Chest X-ray changes after discontinuation of glucocorticosteroids treatment on severe acute respiratory syndrome (5 cases report)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of glucocorticosteroids on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and chest X ray changes after discontinuation of glucocorticosteroids treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  To retrospectively study the clinical characteristics of 5 cases with SARS and chest X ray changes after discontinuation of glucocorticosteroids.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5 cases were medical workers and had exposure to SARS patients. The incubation periods were 2 to 7 days. They had high fever from the onset of the disease. There were lung infiltrates 1 to 6 days after fever and then methylprednisolone was given to them. Two or three days after glucocorticosteroids treatment, clinical symptoms in these patients were disappeared. The clinical symptoms in case 1, cases 2, case 4 and case 5 weren't deteriorated after discontinuation of methylprednisolone while the presentation in chest X ray was progressed 3-6 days later. No more methylprednisolone was given to the patients and the infiltrates in chest X ray was gradually absorbed in 5-11 days. The temperature in case 3 was elevated again and the shadow in chest X ray was progressed after discontinuation of methylprednisolone due to the low dosage of glucocorticosteroids. When the dosage of methylprednisolone was increased, the temperature tended to be normal and the lung infiltrates began to absorb gradually.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the patients with non-severe SARS, if the symptoms were disappeared after discontinuation of glucocorticosteroids, the lung shadow may be progressed. we can closely observe the condition of the disease and no more glucocortisteroids needed to be given to the patients. The lung shadow could be absorbed gradually.
authors.affiliation: Peking University, Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Wanzhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yahong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Liqiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongchang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jiangli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Fuchun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yaan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Bozhang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Mingwu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids