title: [Effect of SARS-associated coronavirus on peripheral blood picture and liver function].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study peripheral blood picture and liver function of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and to accumulate more experience in prevention and treatment this syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The peripheral blood picture and liver function of 169 cases with SARS were analyzed. These patients were admitted to five hospitals in Taiyuan from March to May, 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Above 90.00% patients had normal or low white blood cell (WBC) count on the first day. From then on, during the second to third week, about 40.00% of the patients showed high WBC count average: (13.42+/-2.87)x10(9)/L at 15 th day and (13.68+/-3.26)x10(9)/L at 21 st day) and neutrophil (0.809+/-0.063 at 15 th day and 0.805+/-0.061 at 21 st day), and 21.97%-52.15% cases with low lymphocyte count (0.111+/-0.044-0.134+/-0.040). About 4.44%-12.76% of patients developed low platelet and 4.20%-33.33% of cases with low hemoglobin level. And 32.76%-62.50% of cases were found to have high alanine aminotransferase (above 40 U/L), 13.04%-40.00% cases with high aspartate aminotransferase (above 40 U/L) and 40.35%-72.00% cases with low albumin content. But serum total protein remained normal during the whole clinical course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SARS cases may develop leucocytosis, low lymphocyte count, low platelet count, low hemoglobin level and abnormal liver function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, First Hospital, Shanxi medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Long-feng
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hui-chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Li-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult