Impact of Voltage Level on Hospitalization and Mortality in Electrical Injury Cases: A Retrospective Analysis from a Turkish Emergency Department

BACKGROUND Electrical injuries, ranging from minor skin burns to life-threatening conditions, are significant public health problems. These types of injuries are mostly accidental and affect individuals of all ages. This retrospective study evaluated the factors associated with hospitalization and 30-day mortality in 327 patients admitted to an emergency department (ED) in Turkey with electrical injuries between March 2019 and December 2023. MATERIAL AND METHODS Designed as a retrospective observational clinical study, patients with international classification disease (ICD) diagnosis codes W86 or W87 who were admitted to the ED Between March 01, 2019 and December 01, 2023 were included in the study. Patients' age, gender, type of electrical exposure, entry area, exit area, hospitalization, mortality rate, and length of stay (LOS) were recorded. RESULTS Most patients were male (74.6%), and the median age was 24 years. LVI (low-voltage injury) was 76.8% more common and the upper extremity was the most typical electrical entry area (72.5%). Median length of stay was <1 day, and HVI (high-voltage injury) was associated with longer stays (p<0.001). Patients with normal ECGs were predominantly exposed to low voltage and were more likely to be discharged (p<0.001). The 30-day mortality rate was 1.5% (n=5). According to logistic regression analysis, increasing age, ECG changes, HVI, LDH, and myoglobin increase were the factors affecting hospitalization (Negelkerle R²=0.568). CONCLUSIONS Age, ECG changes, YVI and LDH, and myoglobin increase were important factors affecting patient hospitalization.