title: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome on the physical profile and quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on the physical fitness and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among SARS survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An outpatient physiotherapy department in a major hospital in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  SARS patients (N=171) discharged from the hospital. Their mean age was 37.36+/-12.65 years, and the average number of days of hospitalization was 21.79+/-9.93 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects cardiorespiratory (6-minute walk test [6MWT], Chester step test for predicting maximal oxygen uptake [Vo 2 max]), musculoskeletal (proximal/distal muscle strength and endurance test), and HRQOL status (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36]) were measured and compared with the normative data matched for age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-eight (45.61%) patients continued to require prednisolone (< 0.5mg.kg -1 .d -1 ) for residual lung opacities when data were collected. The values of 6MWT distance, predicted Vo 2 max, proximal and distal muscle strength, and the scores from all SF-36 domains, particularly perceived role-physical, were significantly lower than the normative data ( P <.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SARS survivors had deficits in cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal performance, and their HRQOL appeared to be significantly impaired.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Herman Mun-Cheung
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Edwin Wai-Chi
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Caroline Ngar-Chi
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Gabriel Yin-Fat
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Alice Yee-Men
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: David Shu-Cheong
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone