Risk factors for SARS-related deaths in 2003, Beijing.
OBJECTIVE
To study the potential risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS)-related deaths in Beijing.


METHODS
Epidemiological data were collected among the confirmed SARS patients officially reported by Beijing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (BCDC), and information was also supplemented by a follow-up case survey. Chi-square test and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed.


RESULTS
Old age (over 60 years) was found to be significantly associated with SARS-related deaths in the univariate analysis. Also, history of contacting SARS patients within 2 weeks prior to the onset of illness, health occupation, and inferior hospital ranking as well as longer interval of clinic consulting (longer than 1 day) were the risk factors for SARS-related deaths. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis found four risk factors for SARS-related deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
Old age (over 60 years) is the major risk factor for SARS-related deaths. Moreover, hospital health workers, the designated hospitals for SARS clinical services and the interval of consulting doctors (less than 1 day) are protective factors for surviving from SARS.
Liu
Min
M
School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China. Liumin@bjmu.edu.cn
Liang
Wan-Nian
WN
Chen
Qi
Q
Xie
Xue-Qin
XQ
Wu
Jiang
J
He
Xiong
X
Liu
Ze-Jun
ZJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*