Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with severe heatstroke complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation: A case-control study

Severe heatstroke is a severe clinical syndrome in patients. It can be classified as classic heatstroke or exertional heatstroke [ [1] Gauer R. Meyers B.K. Heat-related illnesses. Am. Fam. Physician. 2019; 99: 482-489 PubMed Google Scholar ]. Severe heatstroke can cause multiple organ dysfunction, including abnormal coagulation and even Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which is one of the most serious complications; the incidence of DIC can reach 32.1%–48% [ [2] Hemmelgarn C. Gannon K. Heatstroke: thermoregulation, pathophysiology, and predisposing factors. Compend. Contin. Educ. Vet. 2013; 35E4 PubMed Google Scholar ]. Multiple end-organ failure and death in patients with heatstroke are thought to be caused not only by direct heat stress-induced cellular necrosis and apoptosis but also by extensive microthrombogenesis, bleeding and inflammatory damage [ [3] Leon L.R. Bouchama A. Heat stroke. Compr. Physiol. 2015; 5: 611-647 Crossref PubMed Scopus (172) Google Scholar ]. However, few clinical studies have been performed to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with severe heatstroke complicated with DIC. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical and prognostic data of severe heatstroke patients admitted to the ICU of a third-class hospital in China during a 10-year period. The risk factors related to mortality in patients with DIC were statistically analyzed.