Predictive Factors for Hospitalization of Patients with Heat Illness in Yamaguchi, Japan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Takahiro Yamamoto¹  Masaki Todani¹  Yasutaka Oda²  Tadashi Kaneko¹  Kotaro Kaneda¹  Motoki Fujita²  Takashi Miyauchi¹  Ryosuke Tsuruta¹ 

[1] Advanced Medical Emergency and Critical Care Center, Yamaguchi University Hospital, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan; E-Mails:;Department of Acute and General Medicine, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan; E-Mail:

关键词: heat illness;    heat exhaustion;    heatstroke;    hospitalization;    elderly;    elevated body temperature;    consciousness disturbance;    dehydration;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120911770

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The objective of the study was to investigate the predictive factors for the hospitalization of patients who presented with mild to moderate heat illness at an emergency department. We conducted a retrospective survey of hospitals with an emergency department in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The survey questionnaire entries included patient age, sex, use of an ambulance, vital signs, blood examination conducted at the emergency department, the length of hospitalization, and outcome. We analyzed the predictive factors for hospitalization in patients with heat illness. A total of 127 patients were analyzed. Of these, 49 (37%) were admitted, with 59% discharged on the day following admission. In univariate analysis, the following inpatient characteristics were predictive for hospitalization: old age, low Glasgow Coma Scale score, elevated body temperature, increased serum C-reactive protein, and increased blood urea nitrogen. In logistic regression multivariate analysis, the following were predictive factors for hospitalization: age of ≥ 65 years (odds ratio (OR) 4.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42–17.00), body temperature (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.14–3.41), Glasgow Coma Scale (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.16–0.98), and creatinine (OR 2.92; 95% CI 1.23–6.94). The results suggest that the elderly with hyperthermia, disturbance of consciousness, and elevated serum creatinine have an increased risk for hospitalization with heat illness.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.