Demographic and Injury Characteristics of Patients Injured in a Hailstorm

The aim of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics, injury characteristics, and outcomes of individuals sustaining injuries during a hailstorm in Istanbul, Turkey.

In this study, the medical records of 76 patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital after incurring injuries due to hailstorms were retrospectively reviewed. Analyses were performed to identify hailstorm-associated injury profiles, injury mechanisms, patient demographics, and ED resource use.

Of the 76 patients, 42 (55.3%) were male and 34 (44.7%) were female, with the ages of the patients ranging from five to 79 years. Of the patients, 93.4% presented to the ED within the first eight hours after a hailstorm. The most common injury mechanisms were the direct impact of hailstones on the body surface (36.8%) and slips and falls during escape (35.6%). The most frequently injured anatomical areas were skin (60.5%), head (44.7%), and extremities (16.7%). Significant injuries occurred in only 11.8% of the patients, of whom three were treated surgically and one died. The most common injuries were soft tissue and minor head injuries.

Severe hailstorms often strike suddenly and can be difficult to predict. In response, EDs must handle a large number of injured patients in the aftermath of a hailstorm. It is important to remember that hailstorms, like other natural disasters, can cause serious injuries.