[Changes of blood cells in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes of blood corpuscles of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Beijing.


METHODS
Totally 43 patients (21 male and 22 female, 19-74 years old age range) diagnosed as of probable SARS were included in this study. Their corpuscles in the peripheral blood were tested every two days, and the results were analyzed.


RESULTS
Patients with SARS were more likely to develop leukocytopenia, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia in the early period of disease than those in control group. The situation, especially lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia, could not be reversed in patients who died. Persistent low counts of lymphocytes and platelets at presentation might be associated with adverse outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Low counts of leukocytes, lymphocytes and platelets were common among patients in the early stage of SARS. Persistent Lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia may be associated with the prognosis.
Jiang
Tian-jun
TJ
1st Department of Infectious Diseases, The No.302 Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100039, China.
Zhao
Min
M
Zhou
Zhi-ping
ZP
Zhou
Xian-zhi
XZ
Mao
Yuan-li
YL
Liu
Zhi-guo
ZG
Hong
Wei
W
Xie
Yang-xin
YX
Yan
Hui-ying
HY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*