Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume 31, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 255-257

Heat stroke and multi-organ failure with liver involvement in an asylum-seeking refugee (Article)

Deutsch M.* , Koskinas J. , Emmanuel T. , Kountouras D. , Hadziyannis S.
  • a B' Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • b B' Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • c B' Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • d B' Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • e Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Henry Dunant Hospital, Athens, Greece

Abstract

Heat stroke is the result of exposure to high environmental temperature and strenuous exercise representing a medical emergency characterized by an elevated core body temperature and central nervous system disorders. Slightly elevated liver enzymes, lacking clinical significance, seem to be frequent in heat stroke, whereas severe, clinically relevant, hepatocellular injury has been observed in only a minority of cases. In the present report we describe the case of an otherwise healthy young asylum-seeking refugee from East Timor, who developed severe heat stroke during his transportation to Greece in a closed container on a ship under unusually high temperatures. He was admitted to the hospital with severe multi-organ failure. After a short period of initial improvement, he developed severe hepatocellular injury and hepatic encephalopathy. Other causes of liver damage were excluded. The patient completely recovered. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Refugee hepatocellular damage heat stroke

Index Keywords

refugee human Refugees multiple organ failure travel priority journal Timor-Leste Humans male case report liver biopsy Liver liver failure Greece heat stroke Article high temperature Transportation adult hepatic encephalopathy East Timor Liver Failure, Acute disease severity Ships ship coma
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33748564594&doi=10.1016%2fj.jemermed.2005.12.022&partnerID=40&md5=6db80297f406aee38106575bda44bb50
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2005.12.022
ISSN: 07364679
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English