[Clinical analysis of 45 patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome]

To explore the clinical and radiology features of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Analysis the clinical presentations, chest radiographs, courses of disease and the features of severe pneumonia of 45 cases with SARS diagnosed between April 5 and April 20, 2003 in our hospital.

SARS appears to has high infectivity, and cause of the outbreak. The most common symptom is fever (in 100 percent of the patients). The count of leukocyte is normal or decrease (leukopenia). 80 percent of SARS patients became fever for 24 hours and then have abnormal chest radiographs, serial chest radiographs showed progression of pulmonary infiltrates within 48 hours in 71.1 percent of patients. The percent of severe pneumonia (24.4%) is higher than typical pneumonia.

SARS is a disease with high infectivity, and has its own clinical and radiology features. Early recognition, prompt isolation, and appropriate therapy are the key in combating this infection.