title: [Analysis of relation between the usage of corticosteroid in treatment and arthralgia as a sequela of SARS patients].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Tianjin 300162, China.
authors.forename: Hong-sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Shi-xin
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shu-ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Zhen-shan
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Wu-li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhi-yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008775:Methylprednisolone