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.