Age group-related characteristics of pediatric drowning patients treated at an emergency medical center in northern Yeongseo, Gangwon Province

Purpose: We aimed to analyze pediatric drowning cases to study age group-related clinical characteristics, such as causes, location, and outcomes, in an under-researched area in South Korea. Methods:From January 1, 2020 through July 20, 2025, we retrospectively analyzed medical records of patients aged 19 years or younger who had experienced drowning and visited Kangwon National University Hospital located in the northern Yeongseo region of Gangwon Province.Their clinical characteristics were compared between those with worse outcomes, defined as hospitalization to the intensive care unit or in-hospital mortality, and those with better outcomes.Results: During the period, 27 patients having undergone drowning accidents visited the hospital.The most frequent location was the bathtub at home in the patients younger than 1 year (all 4 patients), commercial swimming pools in those aged 1-14 years (12 of the 16 patients), and rivers in those aged 15-19 years (all 7 patients).Of the 27 cases, 11 had worse outcomes including 4 mortalities.Patients with worse outcomes had higher percentages of guardian's negligence, altered mental status, pool or river as the location, and implementation of oxygen therapy or positive pressure ventilation, and lower mean initial Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (i.e., higher acuity), as well as higher mean concentrations of glucose, urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase, and base deficit. Conclusion:This study on pediatric drowning patients in the under-researched area showed agerelated differences in the primary causes of drowning and clinical features related to the worse outcomes.These findings need to be considered for prompting increased parental vigilance and more comprehensive societal preventive measures.