Descriptive Study of Prognostic Factors of Exertional Heat Stroke in Military Personnel.
- Author:
You Hwan JO
1
;
Sang Do SHIN
;
Dong Hoon KIM
;
Ik Joon JO
;
Joong Eui RHEE
;
Gil Joon SUH
;
Yeo Kyu YOUN
;
Kyu Seok KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea. suhgil@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Exertional heat stroke;
Prognostic factor;
Military personnel
- MeSH:
Amylases;
Blood Pressure;
Creatinine;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Heart Rate;
Heat Stroke*;
Hospitals, Military;
Hot Temperature*;
Humans;
Humidity;
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration;
Intubation;
Leukocyte Count;
Military Personnel*;
Platelet Count;
Potassium;
Prognosis;
Retrospective Studies;
Seizures;
Sodium;
Vital Signs
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2003;14(4):409-414
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the characteristics of exertional heat stroke between the non-survival and the survival groups. METHODS: From January 1996 to December 2002, patients with exertional heat stroke who came to the emergency department of a military hospital were enrolled. Data on individual factors, atmospheric conditions, pre-hospital management, initial vital signs, laboratory findings, presence of seizure attack, and performance of intubation were reviewed retrospectively and compared between the nonsurvival and the survival groups. RESULTS: During the study period, 22 patients were diagnosed as suffering from exertional heat stroke and 5 patients died. Most of the episodes occurred during the summer days with high ambient temperature (mean 30.6+/-3.0 degrees C) and humidity (mean 75.6+/-7.7%), and 13 patients were unacclimatized recruits. The non-survival group showed a lower initial systolic blood pressure, platelet count, arterial pH, and HCO3 - level, and a higher serum creatinine, ALT, and amylase level than did the survival group (p<0.05). However there were no significant differences in individual factors, atmospheric conditions, pre-hospital management, initial pulse rate, temperature, white blood cell count, hemoglobin count, and the sodium, potassium, BUN and AST levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Initial systolic blood pressure, platelet count, and arterial pH, as well as HCO3 -, serum creatinine, ALT, and amylase levels seem to be important factors for the prognosis of exertional heat stroke.
