An assessment of the epidemiological features of patients with electrical injuries in the emergency department: a 10-year retrospective study
Description
Article title: An assessment of the epidemiological features of patients with electrical injuries in the emergency department: a 10-year retrospective study Abstract Objective: Evaluating electrical injuries is challenging due to various complications. Current guidelines emphasize monitoring of cardiac risk factors, but the indications for this are quite specific. This study evaluated the epidemiological and risk factors of electrical injuries in patients admitted to the Emergency Department. Methods: Medical records from the Pamukkale University Hospital (2014-2024) were reviewed. The data collected included ECG abnormalities, accident specifics (time, voltage, current type, contact point/location), transthoracic flow, current source, work accident status, mortality, and diagnosis. The primary outcomes were epidemiological data, arrhythmias, and elevated laboratory results. Results: 112 patients were identified, 91 were male (81%), with a mean age of 31.8 years. Work-related injuries accounted for 16 (14.3%) cases and 17 (15.2%) had chest pain. High voltage injuries (>1000 V) were 10/112, and low voltages (<1000 V) were 80/112 (60.6%). One patient died of head trauma after electrical shock. Elevated troponin was found in 57 patients (50.9%), CK-MB in 25 (22.3%), and potassium in 6 (5.3%). ECG abnormalities were observed in 16 patients (14.3%). Conclusion: Troponin and creatinine levels were significantly elevated in the low-voltage group. This research questions the assumption that conscious patients showing normal ECGs after a low-voltage injury can be safely discharged after a quick clinical evaluation. Keywords: Electrical injury, low-voltage injuries, high-voltage injuries, epidemiology
Files
Steps to reproduce
anonymized raw patient epicrisis and blood chemistry panel results. Data cannot be reproduced from same patient group however it can be used for monocentric and retrospective analysis. Data collection The current study examined all patients with electrical injuries admitted to Pamukkale University Hospital for 10 years. To include all eligible cases, a keyword search was performed in the electronic databases of Pamukkale University Hospital (ProbelR) and the International Classification of diseases, tenth edition (Icd-10)(Delphine et al. 2021). The keywords used for the case search were “electrical injury,” “electrical accident,” “high-voltage injury,” “low-voltage injury,” and “lightning.” The ICD-10 codes were W85 (exposure to electric transmission lines), W86 (exposure to other specified electric current), W87 (exposure to unspecified electric current), W29 (contact with other powered hand tools and household machinery), T75.4 (Effects of electric current) and T75.0 (Effects of lightning)(Delphine et al. 2021). A hospital system was used to collect accident-specific data such as ECG abnormalities, accident time, voltage, current type, contact point, and contact location. Additional data gathered included the presence of transthoracic flow, its current source, whether it was a work accident, pre-hospital admission, and diagnosis. Finally, information about lifesaving prehospital interventions, loss of consciousness, and type of transportation to the emergency department was included. The following clinical and demographic data were collected: sex, age, mortality, GLASGOW Index triage level, admission complaints, initial ECG findings, and secondary injuries. Laboratory results included creatinine, CK-MB, sodium, troponin T, potassium, and calcium levels in the serum. It has also been observed that the doctor in charge may request special laboratory examinations.