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To the Editor: Mildly elevated levels of aminotransferase have been reported in 23% to 50% of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The clinical and pathological significance of this finding, however, remains unknown.^1-3 We investigated whether liver dysfunction might reflect disease activity and have a temporal relationship with other clinical parameters in patients with SARS.

Methods

We evaluated clinical records, serial blood test results, and chest radiographs of 54 adult patients with SARS (diagnosed according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria^{1, 4}) but without chronic hepatitis B or C infection, who were admitted to 2 Hong Kong regional hospitals between March 8 and April 17, 2003. Charts of randomly selected age- and sex-matched patients with non-SARS community-acquired pneumonia from Queen Mary Hospital in the same time period were also examined. All patients with SARS received combination therapy comprising a corticosteroid and either intravenous or oral ribavirin, beginning . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Wai-Man Wong, MD; James C. Ho, MD; Ivan F. Hung, MD; William Ng, MD; Yui-Ming Lam, MD; Wai-On Tam, MD; Benjamin C. Y. Wong, MD; Poon C. Wong, MD; Ching Lung Lai, MD; Wah-Kit Lam, MD; Shiu-Kum Lam, MD; Kenneth W. Tsang, MD
Department of Medicine

Gaik C. Ooi, MD
Department of Diagnostic Radiology

Pak L. Ho, MD
Department of Clinical Microbiology

Thomas Mok, MD; Johnny Chan, MD
Department of Medicine
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Hong Kong, China

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