Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related diarrhea.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease and diarrhea has been reported in up to 76% of cases. The purpose of the present paper was to carry out a retrospective study of the clinical and demographic data of SARS patients with diarrhea in Princess Margaret Hospital.

Methods: From 1 to 31 March 2003, hospital records from 240 patients with confirmed SARS were studied.

Tachycardia amongst subjects recovering from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

SARS is a new infection in human. Patients recovering from SARS had palpitation in the form of sinus tachycardia. This study to identify the possible causes for the tachycardia excluded active disease, thyroid dysfunction, haematological, cardiac, autonomic and significant pulmonary defect at 2 months from onset of disease.

Value of initial chest radiographs for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Purpose: To determine whether the initial chest radiograph is helpful in predicting the clinical outcome of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Methods: Of 343 patients who met the World Health Organization's case definition of probable SARS and who had been admitted to a regional hospital in Hong Kong, 201 patients had laboratory evidence of SARS coronavirus infection. The initial frontal chest radiographs of these 201 patients were assessed in a blinded fashion by 3 radiologists; individual findings were accepted if at least 2 of the radiologists concurred.

Prevalence of subclinical infection by the SARS coronavirus among general practitioners in Hong Kong.

Eight general practitioners had severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong during the epidemic, and others may have been infected by the SARS coronavirus without developing the full syndrome. We conducted a serological and questionnaire survey to determine the prevalence of subclinical infection by SARS coronavirus among general practitioners in Hong Kong. Participants had to be doctors actively practising in family medicine and who did not have SARS.

Coronavirus-positive nasopharyngeal aspirate as predictor for severe acute respiratory syndrome mortality.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has caused a major epidemic worldwide. A novel coronavirus is deemed to be the causative agent. Early diagnosis can be made with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal aspirate samples.

Outcomes and prognostic factors in 267 patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has become a global public health emergency.

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with SARS in Hong Kong and to identify predictors of mortality.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.