Clinical and laboratory features in the early stage of severe acute respiratory syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the clinical and laboratory features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the early stage and to compare them with those of patients initially suspected of having SARS who were later determined to have other febrile diseases.


METHODS
Between March and June 2003, 122 patients with possible SARS were admitted to the isolation ward of Tri-Service General Hospital. SARS was diagnosed according to the modified World Health Organization case definition (May 1, 2003). Among them, 43 were classified as probable SARS cases and a SARS etiology was excluded in 32 patients.


RESULTS
Presenting symptoms on admission included fever (97.7% of probable cases, 84.4% of excluded cases), chills (39.5% vs 18.8%), cough with sputum production (16.3% vs 40.6%), dry cough (23.3% vs 9.4%), dyspnea (18.6% vs 9.4%), diarrhea (14.0% vs none), rhinorrhea (2.3% vs none), and myalgia (7.0% vs 6.6%). Common laboratory features included lymphopenia and elevated aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein and creatine kinase values. Intubation and mechanical ventilation were required in 12 probable cases and 6 excluded cases. Five patients with probable SARS (11.6%) died. A scoring system which was developed to differentiate SARS patients from other febrile patients in the emergency room could differentiate probable cases from excluded cases with a sensitivity of 36.4% and a specificity of 70.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical presentation and laboratory features at the early stage do not allow differentiation of patients with SARS-CoV infection from other febrile patients. Thus, it is mandatory for all healthcare workers to strictly follow standard isolation precautions during an outbreak to minimize disease transmission.
Fan
Cheng Kuo
CK
Department of Internal Medicine, Tao-Yuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Tao-Yuan County, Taiwan.
Yieh
Kuo Ming
KM
Peng
Ming Yieh
MY
Lin
Jung Chung
JC
Wang
Ning Chi
NC
Chang
Feng Yee
FY
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003371:Cough; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013624:Taiwan; D014944:World Health Organization
D015415:Biomarkers