The early earthquake patients' characteristics in emergence department: an investigation from 2008 Sichuan Wenchuan Earthquake, China / 中华急诊医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study patients' characteristics in the early phase from Weachuan Earthquake.Method Totally 576 patients from Wenchuan Earthquake were received by the emergence department of WestChina Hospital between 1428 May 12, 2008 and 1428 May 15, 2008. The patients were recorded the detailednames, age, living places,time and way to hospital. Injury severity score (ISS) was used to judge the severity of the injury. T test was used to analyze these acquired data, while X2 test was for count data. Results From the first to third 24-hour period, our hospital accepted 199, 111 and 256 patients respectively. Their average ISS scorewere 7.16±4.75, 10.24±5.79, and 8.55±4.96 respectively. The average number of patients per hour ac-cepted by the hospital was(7.90±11.75). The second peak time for accepting patients was the 53rd (70 pa-tients) and 54th(58 patients) hour after earthquake.The patients accepted by the hospital on the second 24 hourshad the highest ISS score (10.24±5.79), and on the first and third 24 hours the ISS score was (7.16±4.75)and (8.55±4.96), respectively. There existed significant difference on ISS score between the second 24 hoursand the first, third 24 hours (P<0.05). Conclusions According to the study, patients accepted by the hospitalon the second 24-hour period had the most serious injury, and on the third 24-hour period, the number of patients accepted by the hospital reached its peak.