title: Clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and treatment outcomes of SARS patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jann-Tay
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wang-Huei
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Chi-Tai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yee-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiun-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chong-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Pan-Chyr
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome