Clinical features of heat illness and related factors for progression to heatstroke: an analysis of 164 cases

To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with heat illness and the related factors for progression to heatstroke so as to provide a basis for early clinical intervention.

A case-control study design was adopted. A total of 164 patients with heat illness admitted to a hospital in Hainan Province from January 2018 to December 2023 were included, and divided into a heatstroke group (21 cases) and a non-heatstroke group (143 cases). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of body temperature, heart rate and mean arterial pressure at admission with the progression to heatstroke.

The incidence of organ dysfunction in the patients with heat illness was 45.12% (74/164), and 12.80% (21/164) progressed to heatstroke. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that at admission, body temperature >40 ℃ (OR=10.11, 95%CI: 2.86~35.78), heart rate >100 beats/min (OR=9.07, 95%CI: 2.75~29.94), and mean arterial pressure <70 mmHg (OR=9.05, 95%CI: 2.75~29.75) were the related factors affecting the progression of heat illness patients to heatstroke.

The incidence of organ dysfunction in heat illness patients is relatively high. Body temperature, heart rate and mean arterial pressure at admission may be the related factors for predicting the progression of heat illness to heatstroke.