Retrospective Evaluation of Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit in Kahramanmaraş Centered Earthquakes in Türkiye: A Single Center Analysis

On February 6, 2023, two major devastating earthquakes hit Turkey, impacting 11 provinces. Kahramanmaraş province was the epicenter. The aim of this study was to investigate the medical analysis and survival status of earthquake victims admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after these earthquakes. Factors associated with mortality among hospitalized earthquake victims were also explored. This retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study was conducted on earthquake victims who were admitted to the ICU between February 6, 2023, and February 21, 2023. Data including demographic characteristics, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (Apache II) scores, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) values, laboratory parameters, in- or out-of-institution referral status, survival status, length of stay in the ICU, and hemodialysis requirements of all the patients were recorded. Of the 45 earthquake victims (20 females and 25 males), the mean age was 38.9 ± 18.7 years. 25 patients were intubated at the time of admission to the ICU. A total of 19 patients required hemodialysis, 20 patients died, 9 patients were referred inside the hospital, 16 were referred outside the hospital. It was observed in the study that higher rates of intubation on admission, higher serum creatinine, procalcitonin, lactate and Apache II values, lower Ph, neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and GCS values showed an increased risk of death. Earthquakes are life- threatening natural disasters. The definition of the clinical and laboratory parameters of the earthquake victims is crucial on the prediction of survival status.