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Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2003;14(4): 409-414. |
| Descriptive Study of Prognostic Factors of Exertional Heat Stroke in Military Personnel |
| You Hwan Jo, Sang Do Shin, Dong Hoon Kim, Ik Joon Jo, Joong Eui Rhee, Gil Joon Suh, Yeo Kyu Youn, Kyu Seok Kim |
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea. suhgil@snu.ac.kr
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Seoul, Korea. |
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| 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. |
| Key words:
Exertional heat stroke, Prognostic factor, Military personnel |
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