Patient-related factors associated with severe heat-related illnesses in Karachi: A hospital perspective

• Published in: Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association Vol. 70; no. 12(A); pp. 2260 - 8
• Main Authors: Kanwal, Saima, Sajid, Sara, Nasir, Noreen, Ahsan, Syed, Almas, Aysha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pakistan Knowledge Bylanes 01-12-2020; Pakistan Medical Association
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Climatic changes; Demographic aspects; Environmental aspects; Female; Health aspects; Heat stress disorders; Heat Stress Disorders - epidemiology; Heat Stroke - epidemiology; Hospital Mortality; Hospitals; Hot Temperature; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Risk factors; Pakistan; Heat stroke, Heat syncope, Heat exhaustion, Heat cramps, altered mental state, Karachi heat waves
• ISSN: 0030-9982
• DOI: 10.47391/JPMA.10-1016

In 2015, Karachi saw its first ever epidemic of severe heatrelated illnesses that resulted in an extraordinary number of hospital admissions, especially in the intensive care, for fatal heat stroke within-hospital mortality of 3.7%.We conducted this study to elucidate the patient-related factors that lead to an increase in hospital admissions with heat-related illnesses in a tertiary care hospital. It was a descriptive case series conducted in the department of medicine at the Aga Khan University in June 2015. A total of 134 patients were admitted with heat-related illnesses of which 76(56.7%) were males. The mean age of the patients was 66 ±14.5 years. Heatstroke was present in 86 (64.2%) patients, followed by heat exhaustion in 48 (35.8%) and in-hospital mortality from heat-related illnesses was 5(3.7%). Hypertension (OR 2(95 % CI 1.0, 3.6) and insufficient sleep or food or water intake (OR 1.7(95 % CI 0.8, 3.8) was associated with severe heat-related illnesses. The effects remained even after adjusting for type and area of residence.