Introduction
Methods
Patient population
Biochemical and electrocardiographic analysis
Survival analysis
Statistical analysis
Results
Patient population
Number of patients (male) | 480 (287) |
Age (years; mean ± SD) | 34.3 ± 11.6 |
History | n (%) |
Hypertension | 45 (9.4%) |
Asthma or COPD | 10 (2.1%) |
Structural heart disease | 7 (1.5%) |
Atrial fibrillation | 2 (0.4%) |
Actual pregnancy | 6 (1.3%) |
Medication | |
Beta-blockers | 22 (4.6%) |
Other antiarrhythmic agent | 0 (0%) |
Baseline parameters | |
---|---|
Self-admission | 231 (48.1%) |
Admission via ambulance car | 245 (51.0%) |
Admission via emergency helicopter | 4 (0.8%) |
Time from accident to admission (h; mean ± SD) | 2.9 ± 3.9 |
Resuscitation on site | 1 (0.2%) |
High voltage accident (> 1000 V) | 18 (3.8%) |
Loss of consciousness | 13 (2.7%) |
Transthoracic current | 104 (21.7%) |
Workplace accident | 184 (38.3%) |
Suicide attempt | 5 (1.0%) |
Power source | |
Household electrical device | 129 (26.9%) |
Electric conductor | 79 (16.5%) |
Electric socket | 69 (14.4%) |
Lamp | 44 (9.2%) |
Other | 61 (12.7%) |
Not known | 98 (20.4%) |
Complaints at admission | |
No complaints | 298 (62.1%) |
Numbness of extremities | 94 (19.6%) |
Burns | 84 (17.5%) |
Chest pain | 28 (5.8%) |
Pain of the extremities | 21 (4.4%) |
Headache | 14 (2.9%) |
Dizziness | 13 (2.7%) |
Palpitations | 9 (1.9%) |
Nausea | 6 (1.3%) |
Intubated | 4 (0.8%) |
Other | 14 (2.9%) |
Severity of burns | |
I° or electrical marks | 75 (15.6%) |
II° | 8 (1.7%) |
III° | 1 (0.2%) |
IV° | 2 (0.4%) |
Concomitant injuries | 8 (1.7%) |
Arrhythmias at admission
Prehospital ECG available | 205 (42.7%) |
ECG on admission available | 475 (99.0%) |
Control ECG before discharge available | 76 (15.8%) |
Arrhythmias | |
Sinus bradycardia (< 60 bpm) | 50 (10.4%) |
Sinus tachycardia (> 100 bpm) | 21 (4.4%) |
Sinus arrest with atrial escape rhythm | 2 (0.4%) |
Newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation | 1 (0.2%) |
Frequent multifocal atrial premature complexes | 1 (0.2%) |
Regular SVT during monitoring | 1 (0.2%) |
Atrial fibrillation during monitoring | 1 (0.2%) |
Ventricular fibrillation before admission | 1 (0.2%) |
Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia | 1 (0.2%) |
Ventricular bigeminy | 1 (0.2%) |
Further electrocardiographic observations | |
Non-specific ST-T changes | 41 (8.5%) |
Incomplete RBBB | 19 (4.0%) |
PQ depression | 9 (1.9%) |
Non-specific IVCD | 6 (1.3%) |
Single PVC | 5 (1.0%) |
RBBB (QRS duration ≥ 0.12 s) | 4 (0.8%) |
Left anterior hemiblock | 3 (0.6%) |
Single PAC | 2 (0.4%) |
First-degree AV block | 1 (0.2%) |
Trifascicular block | 1 (0.2%) |
Ventricular preexcitation syndrome | 1 (0.2%) |
Arrhythmias during ECG monitoring
Variable | OR (95% confidence interval) | p value |
---|---|---|
Structural heart disease | 0.90 (0.11–7.60) | 0.92 |
LOC | 2.82 (0.75–10.60) | 0.13 |
High voltage | 2.94 (0.91–9.53) | 0.07 |
Transthoracic current | 1.49 (0.85–2.63) | 0.13 |
Burns and soft tissue injuries | 0.14 (0.01–1.55) | 0.11 |
Biochemical analysis
Laboratory values available | 354 (73.8%) |
Time from EA to blood sample (h) | 4.6 ± 4.3 |
Serum sodium (mmol/L) | 141 ± 2 |
Serum potassium (mmol/L) | 3.9 ± 0.4 |
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)a | 0.9 ± 0.2 |
cTnI slightly elevated (0.04–0.4 ng/mL) | 6 (1.25%) |
cTnI significantly elevated (> 0.4 ng/mL) | 1 (0.2%) |
CK (U/L) | 305 ± 1356 |
CK elevated (> 170U/L) | 120 (25.0%) |
CK-MB%b | 1.1 ± 0.6 |
CK-MB% elevated (> 5%) | 0 (0%) |
In-hospital and post-discharge follow-up
ED length of stay (h; mean ± SD) | 6.9 ± 5.7 |
ECG monitoring at ED | 182 (37.9%) |
Duration of ECG monitoring at ED (h; mean ± SD) | 12.7 ± 7.1 |
Admitted for further observation/treatment | 12 (2.5%) |
Patients discharged from hospital | 480 (100%) |
Follow-up completed | 477 (99.4%) |
30-day survival | 477 (100%) |