[Assessment of health-related quality of life in cured SARS patients]

Abstract

Objective: To assess the quality of life in cured patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Methods: One hundred and nineteen SARS outpatients, including 64 men and 55 women, with mean age (34.1 +/- 11.4) years and average days of discharge from hospital (28.0 +/- 12.8) days, were assessed by the St George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ), and 72 patients with spirometry test.

Results: The patients had a moderately degree physiological impairment and increased SGRQ score. Scores of all four part of SGRQ correlated significantly with diffuse capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide/pre (DLco%). The correlation coefficients between the activation, impaction, total score, and diffuse capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide/alveolar ventilation/pre (DLco/Va%) were resembled (r = 0.47-0.54, P < 0.01). There was a significant relationship between the score of SGRQ and patients age, and gender. The time leaving hospital only had a significant relationship with the symptom score of SGRQ.

Conclusions: SGRQ is a sensitive tool for assessing quality of life in cured SARS patients. The cured SARS patients' quality of life decrease moderately.