[Analysis of relation between the usage of corticosteroid in treatment and arthralgia as a sequela of SARS patients].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze relation between the use of corticosteroids in the treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients and arthralgia as a sequela.


METHODS
Clinical date of 30 SARS patients without other diseases in whom corticosteroid was used were reviewed including total dosage, duration of use, the highest dosage and its duration, and speed of reduction in dosage. The information about arthralgia was investigated one month after discharge of SARS patients from the hospital.


RESULTS
The average total dosage of methylprednisolone was (4 244.16+/-2 292.30) mg, and the duration of use of the treatment was (25.36+/-5.88) days (ranging from 12 to 35 days). The maximum dosage was (321.33+/-174.03) mg/d, and the duration of its use was (7.73+/-4.08) days. The speed of reduction of dosage of corticosteroids was (21.33+/-10.18) mg/d. There were 26 of 30 patients (86.67 percent) experienced arthralgia symptom during convalescence. In 3.6 percent of patients arthralgia occurred within one month after SARS, 53.85 percent of the patients experienced low-grade arthralgia. By unifactor analysis, the total dosage and its duration of use, the highest dosage and its duration, speed of reduction of dosage of corticosteroids were correlated with the degree of arthralgia, respectively. The duration of arthralgia was correlated with the total dosage, the duration of high dosage, and high dosage. Age was not correlated with either the degree or the persisting time of arthralgia. The degree of arthralgia was only correlated with the total dosage, and the duration of arthralgia was correlated with administration time of glucocorticosteroids by multifactor analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a dosage- effect relation between the degree of arthralgia and the total dosage of corticosteroid, and a time-effect relation between the duration of arthralgia and length of the use of corticosteroids.
Gao
Hong-sheng
HS
Department of Epidemiology, Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Tianjin 300162, China.
Wang
Shi-xin
SX
Chen
Li-ming
LM
Li
Yu-ming
YM
Yuan
Shu-ling
SL
Jiao
Zhen-shan
ZS
Hui
Wu-li
WL
Yang
Zhen
Z
Zhao
Zhi-yong
ZY
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008775:Methylprednisolone