Severe acute respiratory syndrome in a medical center in Taipei.
From April 18 to May 31, 2003, 46 patients with probable severe acute respiratory syndrome were admitted to the negative-pressure isolation rooms of Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. Their demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiologic characteristics and clinical outcomes were analyzed. There were 15 males and 31 females, in this cohort, 13 of whom were healthcare workers. The latter included 6 hospital staff and 7 medical personnel transferred from other hospitals. The most common symptoms were fever (100%, 46/46), cough (72%, 33/46), shortness of breath (46%, 21/46), and diarrhea (39%, 18/46). Other common findings were lymphopenia (57%, 26/46), thrombocytopenia (39%, 18/46), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (63%, 29/46), and elevated creatine kinase (24%, 11/46). A total of 7 patients (15%) required mechanical ventilation, and 8 (17%) died. Advanced age was an independent significant risk factor for death. Fever followed by rapidly progressive respiratory compromise led to significant morbidity and mortality in this cohort.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Hwee-Kheng
HK
Lim
Chang-Pan
CP
Liu
Fu-Yuan
FY
Huang
Hsu-Tah
HT
Kuu
Yuh-Cheng
YC
Yang
Pei-Jan
PJ
Chen
Chun-Ming
CM
Lee
Nan-Chang
NC
Chiu
Hsiang-Kuang
HK
Tseng
D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome