Predictors of SARS Transmission
Author Information
Author(s): Mark IC Chen, Angela LP Chow, Arul Earnest, Hoe Nam Leong, Yee Sin Leo
Primary Institution: Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Hypothesis
Are there clinical and epidemiological factors in SARS patients that predict the likelihood of disease transmission?
Conclusion
Certain clinical and epidemiological factors can help explain why some SARS patients transmitted the disease while others did not.
Supporting Evidence
- Delay to isolation was significantly associated with increased transmission risk.
- Admission to a non-isolation ward was a strong predictor of transmission.
- Higher lactate dehydrogenase levels were linked to increased transmission probability.
Takeaway
Some people with SARS spread the disease to others, and we found that things like how quickly they were isolated and their health conditions made a difference.
Methodology
Epidemiological and clinical data from probable SARS patients were analyzed using a case-control approach and multivariate logistic regression.
Potential Biases
Potential recall and interviewer bias could have affected symptom reporting.
Limitations
The study may have misclassified some controls as cases and lacked power due to a small number of transmission events.
Participant Demographics
58% were healthcare workers, 80.6% were female, and 40.8% were non-Chinese.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.832–0.974
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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