Types of Patients during a Marathon Course: Two International Scale of Marathon Runnings

PURPOSE: Marathon running is a unique long-distance sport with respect to injuries because it involves continuous movement allowing for different types of injuries that appear at each distance achieved. We initiated this study to analyze the types of injury patterns associated with marathon running to better predict the types of injuries expected at different points of a marathon course in order to provide more efficient emergency medical care. METHODS: The analysis is based on two international marathons that involved 12,356 runners in the 2004 Seoul International Marathon on March 14, 2004, and 3.873 runners in the 2004 Korea Open Marathon on March 28, 2004. We designed medical recording paper and applied it to the patients during the marathon course, and we finally analyzed the different injuries that occurred from the start to finish lines. RESULTS: The results revealed that injuries varied with respect to different distances achieved. From the start line to 10 km, minor contusions and abrasions formed the majority of injuries. However, from the 25 km area to the finish line, cardiovascular symptoms and heat related disorders manifested. CONCLUSION: As seen in our study, given that severity of injury patterns differ from point to point during a marathon course, emergency medical care should be also allocate appropriate resources at differing points on a marathon course in anticipation of probable escalating medical needs.

Types of Patients during a Marathon Course: Two International Scale of Marathon Runnings

PURPOSE: Marathon running is a unique long-distance sport with respect to injuries because it involves continuous movement allowing for different types of injuries that appear at each distance achieved. We initiated this study to analyze the types of injury patterns associated with marathon running to better predict the types of injuries expected at different points of a marathon course in order to provide more efficient emergency medical care. METHODS: The analysis is based on two international marathons that involved 12,356 runners in the 2004 Seoul International Marathon on March 14, 2004, and 3.873 runners in the 2004 Korea Open Marathon on March 28, 2004. We designed medical recording paper and applied it to the patients during the marathon course, and we finally analyzed the different injuries that occurred from the start to finish lines. RESULTS: The results revealed that injuries varied with respect to different distances achieved. From the start line to 10 km, minor contusions and abrasions formed the majority of injuries. However, from the 25 km area to the finish line, cardiovascular symptoms and heat related disorders manifested. CONCLUSION: As seen in our study, given that severity of injury patterns differ from point to point during a marathon course, emergency medical care should be also allocate appropriate resources at differing points on a marathon course in anticipation of probable escalating medical needs.

Clinical Course of Hypoxic-ischemic Coma after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Korea

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the survival and the recovery of consciousness in hypoxic-ischemic coma at different time points till 30 days after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). METHODS: A survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier estimates, and 30-day outcomes were calculated for all unconscious patients at 24 h, 72 h, 5 days, 7 days, and 14 days after CPR. The patient's characteristics and outcomes were compared with those for published patient series. RESULTS: After 30 days, 32.4% of 74 patients were alive and conscious, 16.2% were still unconscious, and 51.4% had died. The proportions of patients who regained conscious were 32.4% of those unconscious within 6 h post CPR, 34.7% of those still unconscious after 72 h, and 21.1% of those still unconscious after 2 weeks. The proportion surviving increased from 16.2% of patients who were unconscious initially to 63.1% of those still unconscious after 2 weeks. CONCLUSION: The outcomes of hypoxic-ischemic coma vary with the duration of unconsciousness after CPR.

Disaster Planning in the Emergency Department by Using an Analysis of Injuries Related to Assembly and Demonstration

PURPOSE: This study is to enable emergency centers to adequately cope with a vast number of demonstration-related injured patients by using an interventional study. With this analysis, emergency centers can hopefully prepare with adequate manpower, equipment and resources. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 117 patients with injuries related assembly and demonstration who visited the Emergency Medical Center of St. Mary's Hospital from Aug 13, 1999, to Jan 31, 2004 (pre-intervention state). These patients were analyzed according to sex, age, the severity of injury, the presence of a laceration, the injury mechanism, the final diagnosis, and the areas of the injury. Using these data, we established a disaster plan, then, we applied that plan to 59 patients who visited the Emergency Medical Center during Feb 2004 (post-interventional preliminary study). RESULTS: The common areas of the injury were the face (35.1%), the head (33.1%), and the extremities (25.4%) during the pre-intervention state. The number of patients with lacerations was 61 (52.1%). According to this, we established our own external hospital disaster plan. During the preliminary post-interventional study, the plan reduced the length of hospital stay, the delayed time to radiology, and the not-sutured rate (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: When patients injured during violent demonstrations are expected, local emergency care hospitals need to prepare manpower, resources, and supplies for facial and head lacerations and apply their disaster plan.