SARS Treatment Review
Author Information
Author(s): Lauren J Stockman, Richard Bellamy, Paul Garner
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
What are the effects of various treatments on SARS-infected patients?
Conclusion
The systematic review could not determine whether any treatments benefited patients during the SARS outbreak, and some may have been harmful.
Supporting Evidence
- 54 SARS treatment studies were reviewed.
- 26 studies on ribavirin were inconclusive, and 4 showed possible harm.
- 29 studies of steroid use were mostly inconclusive, with some indicating possible harm.
Takeaway
Doctors tried different medicines to help people with SARS, but they couldn't tell if any of them really worked or if they made people worse.
Methodology
A systematic review of published literature on various treatments for SARS, including in vitro studies and patient reports.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the selection of control groups and treatment allocation.
Limitations
Most studies were not designed to reliably assess treatment effects, and there was a wide variation in treatment regimens.
Participant Demographics
Included both English and Chinese literature on SARS patients.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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