A case-controlled study comparing clinical course and outcomes of pregnant and non-pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical courses and outcomes of pregnant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients and non-pregnant SARS patients.


METHODS
A case-control study.


METHODS
Tertiary Hospital for Infectious Disease. Sample Ten pregnant and 40 non-pregnant female patients infected with SARS.


METHODS
Clinical course and outcomes of pregnant SARS patients were compared with a group of non-pregnant SARS patient. Cases and controls were matched with respect to sex, age, timing of contracting SARS, health care workers status and underlying illness.


METHODS
The incidence of intensive care unit admission, intubation, medical complications and death rate.


RESULTS
Pregnancy had no discernible impact on clinical symptoms and presentation delay. Four out of the 10 pregnant patients, nevertheless, required endotracheal intubation and six were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), as compared with 12.5% intubation rate (P= 0.065) and 17.5% ICU admission rate (P= 0.012) in the non-pregnant group. More pregnant SARS patients developed renal failure (P= 0.006) and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (P= 0.006), as compared with non-pregnant SARS group. There were three deaths in the pregnant group, whereas there was no death in the non-pregnant control group (P= 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant women with SARS experience a worse clinical course and poorer outcomes compared with non-pregnant women.
Lam
Chui Miu
CM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
Wong
Shell Fean
SF
Leung
Tse Ngong
TN
Chow
Kam Ming
KM
Yu
Wai Cho
WC
Wong
Tin Yau
TY
Lai
Sik To
ST
Ho
Lau Cheung
LC
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003422:Critical Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011379:Prognosis; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*