Development of a standard treatment protocol for severe acute respiratory syndrome

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10 May 2003, Volume 361, Issue 9369 Pages 1615-1617
Development of a standard treatment protocol for severe acute respiratory syndrome

Loletta K-Y So Send E-mail to Author a *, Arthur C W Lau a, Loretta Y C Yam a, Thomas M T Cheung a, Edwin Poon a, Raymond W H Yung a and K Y Yuen b


 

Abstract
A series of 31 patients with probable SARS, diagnosed from WHO criteria, were treated according to a treatment protocol consisting of antibacterials and a combination of ribavirin and methylprednisolone. Through experience with the first 11 patients, we were able to finalise standard dose regimens, including pulsed methylprednisolone. One patient recovered on antibacterial treatment alone, 17 showed rapid and sustained responses, and 13 achieved improvement with step-up or pulsed methylprednisolone. Four patients required short periods of non-invasive ventilation. No patient required intubation or mechanical ventilation. There was no mortality or treatment morbidity in this series.

Affiliations
a Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China.
b Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

 * Correspondence to: Dr Loletta Kit-Ying So, Department of Medicine, 3 Lok Man Road, Chaiwan, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China 

 

Source

Elsevier Science Inc.

© 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd

 

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