Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Relationship between Radiologic and Clinical Parameters

PURPOSE: To quantify severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on chest radiographs and to determine its relationship with clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients (mean age, 42.90 years ± 14.01 [SD]; median age, 41.5 years; age range, 25-82 years) with clinically diagnosed SARS were evaluated. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were recorded daily. Severity of lung changes on chest radiographs was scored according to percentage of involved lung. Radiographic scores at days of admission, treatment, and maximal radiographic score were extracted for statistical analysis with clinical parameters. Time to maximal radiographic score from admission and days between onset and beginning of treatment were determined. Correlations between radiographic and clinical parameters were evaluated with Spearman rank correlation. Sex differences with respect to clinical and radiographic parameters were evaluated with Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: Median chest radiographic scores peaked 5 days after beginning of treatment before they declined. Maximal and treatment radiographic scores were inversely related to oxygen saturation (r = -0.67, P .05). CONCLUSION: Severity of lung abnormalities quantified on chest radiographs correlates with clinical and laboratory parameters. © RSNA, 2003.link_to_OA_fulltex