SARS experts study bone necrosis ( 2003-11-26 08:53) (China Daily)
Some people who contracted
SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in China have been found to be
suffering from avascular necrosis, a disease which can lead to paralysis.
Avascular necrosis is known to occur as a side effect of strong dosages of
corticosteroids, said Dr Julie Hall, leader of the World Health Organization
SARS Response Team in China in an exclusive interview with China Daily in
Beijing yesterday.
And strong dosages of corticosteroids were widely used by doctors in the
first half of this year in China to save the lives of many SARS patients.
Some studies suggest that corticosteroid-related avascular necrosis is
severer and more likely to affect both hips (when occurring in the hip) than
avascular necrosis resulting from other causes, Dr Hall noted.
Recent reports reveal that many people who recovered from SARS several months
ago are now suffering from avascular necrosis, especially in the hips, on the
Chinese mainland, which has seen a total of 5,327 SARS patients, including 4,959
who recovered.
The incidence of corticosteroid-related avascular necrosis in the hips of
medical staff of the main hospitals in Beijing who have recovered from SARS, is
from about 33 per cent to 50 per cent, Xu Lin, director of the orthopedics
centre of Beijing Dongzhimen Hospital, was quoted as saying by Beijing News.
Xu is head of a group of experts dealing with the treatment of avascular
necrosis of SARS patients using traditional Chinese medicine and western
medicine.
However, such a rate is only an estimate by doctors based on their clinic
experience in some hospitals, and has not been proven by health authorities.
The Ministry of Health has set up a group of experts to investigate the
sequelae situation of SARS patients, especially avascular necrosis of the hips,
an official from the ministry who refused to be identified, told China Daily
yesterday.
The sequelae situation of SARS patients, including avascular necrosis of the
hips needs further investigation before further measures can be taken by health
authorities to tackle the problem, the unnamed official noted.
Although doctors knew of the side effects of using corticosteroids to treat
SARS patients, they had no other choice at that time if they were going to save
people's lives, said Dr Hall.
Corticosteroids can restrict the large vein that supplies blood to the ball
joint at the upper end of the femur. The shortage of blood causes the bone in
that area to die, she added.
During the SARS epidemic, a research project themed "the medical treatment
and recovery of SARS patients" was launched by the Ministry of Science and
Technology with an investment of nearly 10 million yuan (US$1.2
million).
