The outcome of patients presenting with crush syndrome after the Marmara earthquake

In this study, we evaluated the clinical and laboratory data of the patients presenting after the Marmara earthquake. Crush syndrome was diagnosed in 60 patients (30 M, 30 F, mean age: 31.3+/-13.8 years). They were buried under the rubble for a mean period of 12.3+/-15.1 hours. On admission, 27 patients were oligoanuric and the mean serum creatinine, creatinine phosphokinase and potassium levels were 4.4+/-3.2 mg/dl, 18453.1+/-24527.2 IU/L, and 4.9+/-1.7 mEq/L, respectively. The most frequent site of trauma was the lower extremity. Dialysis treatment was initiated in 40 patients (19 M, 21 F; mean age: 32.7+/-13.0 years). Mean number of hemodialysis sessions/patient was 8.9+/-6.8. Nine (23%) patients among the dialyzed and 4 (20%) among the non-dialyzed died leading to an overall mortality of 21.6%. This low mortality rate suggests that the death rate from acute renal failure due to crush syndrome could be decreased by extensive follow-up.