When viewing this topic in a different language, you may notice some differences in the way the content is structured, but it still reflects the latest evidence-based guidance.

Síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS)

Last reviewed: 20 Aug 2025
Last updated: 10 Feb 2022

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presença de fatores de risco
  • febre
  • tosse
  • mialgia
  • dispneia
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • calafrios
  • mal-estar
  • cefaleia
  • diarreia aquosa
  • taquipneia
  • taquicardia
  • cianose
  • náuseas e vômitos
  • faringite
  • produção de escarro
  • dor torácica
  • pleurisia
  • rinorreia
  • tontura
  • artralgia
  • dor abdominal
  • convulsão
  • delirium
  • estertores
  • estertores inspiratórios
  • sopro tubário
Full details

Risk factors

  • viagem para uma área afetada
  • contato próximo com uma pessoa infectada
  • trabalho laboratorial com SARS-CoV
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • Hemograma completo
  • aminotransferases
  • lactato desidrogenase
  • creatina quinase
  • hemocultura
  • cultura de escarro
  • culturas virais nasofaríngeas
  • coloração para anticorpo por imunofluorescência direta
  • radiografia torácica
  • oximetria de pulso
  • reação em cadeia da polimerase via transcriptase reversa (RT-PCR)
Full details

Tests to consider

  • gasometria arterial
  • coagulograma
  • tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução (TCAR) do tórax
  • teste sorológico para anticorpos específicos para SARS-CoV
  • cultura viral
Full details

Emerging tests

  • imunoensaio rápido com swab para detecção de SARS-CoV
  • anticorpos monoclonais

Treatment algorithm

INITIAL

suspeita de síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS)

ACUTE

síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS) confirmada

Contributors

Authors

Georgia G. Pitsiou, MD, PhD
Georgia G. Pitsiou

Associate Professor in Pulmonary Medicine

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Respiratory Failure Clinic

General Hospital G. Papanikolaou

Thessaloniki

Greece

Disclosures

GGP declares that she has no competing interests.

Ioannis P. Kioumis, MD, PhD
Ioannis P. Kioumis

Professor in Pulmonary Medicine

Infectious Diseases

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Respiratory Failure Clinic

General Hospital G. Papanikolaou

Thessaloniki

Greece

Disclosures

IPK declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Tommy R. Tong, MD

Attending Pathologist

Montefiore Medical Center

Bronx

NY

Disclosures

TRT declares that he has no competing interests.

Sian Griffiths, OBE, MA, MB BChir, FFPHM, FRCP (Lon), FRCP (Edin), FHKCCM

Director of the School of Public Health

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Prince of Wales Hospital

New Territories

Hong Kong

Disclosures

SG declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Christian MD, Poutanen SM, Loutfy MR, et al. Severe acute respiratory syndrome. Clin Infect Dis. 2004;38:1420-1427.Full text  Abstract

Peiris JS, Chu CM, Cheng VC, et al. Clinical progression and viral load in a community outbreak of coronavirus-associated SARS pneumonia: a prospective study. Lancet. 2003;361:1767-1772. Abstract

Mahony JB, Richardson S. Molecular diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome: the state of the art. J Mol Diagn. 2005;7:551-559. Abstract

Peiris JS, Yuen KY, Osterhaus AD, et al. The severe acute respiratory syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2003;349:2431-2441. Abstract

Fowler RA, Lapinsky SE, Hallet D, et al. Critically ill patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome. JAMA. 2003;290:367-373.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS) images
  • Differentials

    • Doença do coronavírus 2019 (COVID-19)
    • Síndrome respiratória do Oriente Médio (MERS)
    • Pneumonia adquirida na comunidade
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
    • No. 225-Management guidelines for obstetric patients and neonates born to mothers with suspected or probable severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
    More Guidelines
  • Patient information

    Pneumonia

    More Patient information
  • Videos

    Punção de artéria radial - Vídeo de demonstração

    Punção de artéria femoral - Vídeo de demonstração

    More videos
  • padlock-lockedLog in or subscribe to access all of BMJ Best Practice

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer