Hypothermia in Victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Survey in Miyagi Prefecture. (12th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Furukawa, Hajime; Kudo, Daisuke; Nakagawa, Atsuhiro; Matsumura, Takashi; Abe, Yoshiko; Konishi, Ryota; Yamanouchi, Satoshi; Ishibashi, Satoru; Kobayashi, Masakazu; Narita, Norio; Washio, Toshikatsu; Arafune, Tatsuhiko; Tominaga, Teiji; Kushimoto, Shigeki
• Is Part Of: Disaster medicine and public health preparedness. Volume 8:Number 5(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 379
• Page End: 389
• Publication Date: 2014-09-12
• Subjects: Disaster medicine -- Periodicals; Emergency management -- Planning -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 363.34
• DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2014.70
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1935-7893

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>Objective</title> <p>A survey was conducted to describe the characteristics of patients treated for hypothermia after the Great East Japan Earthquake.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="methods"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Written questionnaires were distributed to 72 emergency medical hospitals in Miyagi Prefecture. Data were requested regarding inpatients with a temperature less than 36ºC admitted within 72 hours after the earthquake. The availability of functional heating systems and the time required to restore heating after the earthquake were also documented.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="results"> <title>Results</title> <p>A total of 91 inpatients from 13 hospitals were identified. Tsunami victims comprised 73% of the patients with hypothermia. Within 24 hours of the earthquake, 66 patients were admitted. Most patients with a temperature of 32ºC or higher were treated with passive external rewarming with blankets. Discharge without sequelae was reported for 83.3% of patients admitted within 24 hours of the earthquake and 44.0% of those admitted from 24 to 72 hours after the earthquake. Heating systems were restored within 3 days of the earthquake at 43% of the hospitals.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="conclusions"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Hypothermia in patients hospitalized within 72 hours of the earthquake was primarily due to cold-water exposure during the tsunami. Many patients were successfully treated in spite of the post-earthquake disruption of regional social infrastructure.(<italic>Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness</italic>. 2014;0:1-11)</p> </sec> </abstract>