Gastrointestinal manifestations of critical ill heatstroke patients and their associations with outcomes: A multicentre, retrospective, observational study

Table 5 Clinical characteristics of the study patients, according to types of gastrointestinal symptoms¹

	GI Symptoms2			P value
	Diarrhea (n = 88)	Flatulence (n = 27)	Nausea/vomiting (n = 15)
Characteristic
Age, median (IQR), yr	65.0 (56.0-76.0)	69.0 (56.0-79.0)	68.0 (57.5-78.0)	0.565
Female sex, n (%)	35.0 (39.8)	14.0 (51.8)	6 (40.0)	0.529
GCS score at ICU admission, median (IQR)	5.0 (3.0-7.0)	6.0 (3.0-9.5)	4.0 (3.0-6.0)	0.540
NRS score at ICU admission, median (IQR)	4.0 (3.0-5.0)	4.5 (4.0-5.0)	4.0 (3.0-5.0)	0.193
Body temperature admission
Patients, n (%)	88.0 (100.0)	27.0 (100.0)	15.0 (100.0)	—
Temperature, median (IQR), °C	41.0 (40.0-42.0)	40.0 (39.8-41.0)	40.1 (39.8-41.0)	0.003
Complaints and symptoms, n (%)
Fever	62.0 (70.5)	20.0 (74.0)	8.0 (53.3)	0.343
Altered mental state or behavior	35.0 (39.8)	13.0 (48.1)	4.0 (26.7)	0.395
Dry skin or excessive sweating	19.0 (21.6)	2.0 (7.4)	2.0 (13.3)	0.215
Rubefaction	7.0 (8.0)	2.0 (7.4)	1.0 (6.7)	0.983
Fast pulse	32.0 (36.4)	6.0 (22.2)	4.0 (26.7)	0.344
Polypnea	29.0 (33.0)	6.0 (22.2)	3.0 (20.0)	0.397
Headache	1.0 (1.1)	3.0 (11.1)	0.0 (0.0)	0.024
Syncope	63.0 (71.6)	13.0 (48.1)	8.0 (53.3)	0.052
Other	22.0 (25.0)	4.0 (14.8)	2.0 (13.3)	0.378
Laboratory findings, median (IQR)
White-cell count, 109/L	13.0 (8.2-16.3)	13.0 (8.2-16.3)	13.0 (8.2-16.3)	0.210
Hemoglobin, g/L	122.0 (110.3-136.0)	125.0 (110.5-137.5)	120.0 (107.3-130.0)	0.589
Albumin, g/L	35.8 (32.9-38.8)	35.3 (32.0-39.5)	36.7 (29.3-39.5)	0.969
Complications, n (%)
Disturbance of water and electrolyte	63 (71.6)	20 (74.0)	11 (73.3)	0.085
Rhabdomyolysis	24 (27.3)	6 (22.2)	4 (26.7)	0.003
Myocardial damage	49 (55.7)	11.0 (40.7)	9 (60.0)	0.008
Disseminated intravascular coagulation	40 (45.5)	9 (33.3)	6 (40.0)	0.010
Acute respiratory distress syndrome	46 (52.3)	9 (33.3)	6 (40.0)	0.012
Acute kidney injury	52 (59.1)	15 (55.6)	10 (66.7)	0.024
Acute liver function impairment	52 (59.1)	15 (55.6)	10 (66.7)	0.024
Central nervous system damage	48 (54.5)	15 (55.6)	9 (60.0)	0.019
Treatments
Use of continuous renal-replacement therapy, n (%)	7 (8.0)	3 (11.1)	2 (13.3)	< 0.001
Length of ICU stay, median (IQR), d	1.0 (1.0-2.0)	1.0 (1.0-1.0)	2.0 (1.0-3.0)	0.015
Clinical outcomes at data cutoff, n (%)
Hospital discharge	44.0 (50.0)	11.0 (40.7)	5.0 (33.3)	0.400
Death	16.0 (18.2)	2.0 (7.4)	4.0 (26.7)	0.240
Still hospitalization	19.0 (21.6)	13.0 (48.1)	5.0 (33.3)	0.025
Transferred to another hospital	9.0 (10.2)	1.0 (3.7)	1.0 (6.7)	0.547

¹The denominators of patients who were included in the analysis are provided if they differed from the overall numbers in the group. Percentages may not total 100 because of rounding.

²Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, or bloody stools are defined as gastrointestinal symptoms.

IQR: Interquartile range; GCS: Glasgow coma scale; NRS: Nutrition risk screening; GI: Gastrointestinal; ICU: Intensive care unit.