Research of pulmonary function, health-related quality of life of cured patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome and the effect of Chinese traditional medicine treatment during recovery

Objective: To investigate pulmonary function and the quality of life in cured patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and to assess the effect of Chinese traditional medicine treatment on cured patients with SARS. Method: Discharged patients of SARS (85 cases, 45 men, 40 women, mean age: 37.20±10.9) were randomly divided into two groups: the Chinese traditional medicine treatment group and the control group, all patients were examined with pulmonary function, and assessed by the St George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ). Result: Restrict combined DLCO impairment was main pulmonary function impairment in cured patients of SARS. Some lung impairment, such as TLC% and DLCO% could improve significally as the time went by (P<0.05). Chinese traditional medicine treatment could enhance the improvement. Discharged patients of SARS had a moderately degree increased SGRQ score. There were distinct relationship between the time of leaving hospital and over all score of SGRQ (P<0.05). Chinese traditional medicine treatment could not influence SGRQ score of out SARS patients. Scores of all four parts of SGRQ correlated significantly with DLCO% (r=0.432-0.664, P<0.01), the symptom score of SGRQ correlated significantly with TLC% (r=0.298, P<0.01). Conclusion: The TLC% and DLCO% impairment of discharged patients of SARS could improve along with the time spending after leaving hospital. Chinese traditional medicine treatment could enhance this trend. Chinese traditional medicine treatment could not affect SGRQ score of recovered SARS patients.