Effects of underlying cerebrocardiovascular diseases on the incidence of critical conditions and multiple organs dysfunction syndrome in severe acute respiratory syndrome cases

Abstract

To investigate the effects of underlying cerebrocardiovascular diseases on the incidence of critical conditions and multiple organs dysfunction syndrome (MODS) among the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases. A database of all SARS cases in Beijing in 2003 was established and the data of 1291 cases whose data were complete among them was analyzed. The effects of cerebrocardiovascular diseases, other comorbid diseases and absence of underlying diseases on the incidence of critical conditions and MODS in SARS cases were compared with chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. The incidence rates of critical conditions and MODS in SARS cases were 34.86% and 13.71% respectively. The incidence rates of critical conditions and MODS among the SARS cases without underlying diseases, with other comorbid diseases, and with cerebrocardiovascular diseases were 28.10%, 43.70%, and 58.18%, and 9.83%, 18.52%, and 27.27% respectively. The differences among the three groups were all statistically significant (all P < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed that presence of cerebrocardiovascular diseases in SARS patients was independently associated with the risks of critical conditions and MODS in comparison with those without underlying diseases after adjusting for age and occupation. [odds ratio (OR) = 1.819, 95% CI = 1.276 approximately 2.592, and OR = 1.974, 95% CI = 1.273 approximately 3.060 respectively]. The SARS cases with cerebrocardiovascular diseases have the highest incidence rate of critical conditions and MODS. Presence of Cerebrocardiovascular diseases is an important risk factor for critical conditions and MODS in the SARS cases.