title: [Changes of blood cells in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Infectious Diseases, The No.302 Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Tian-jun
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhi-ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xian-zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yuan-li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Zhi-guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yang-xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hui-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: 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*