Heatstroke in a tropical environment: A series of 9 cases over 18 days in Guadeloupe

In September 2023, a series of heatstroke cases across diverse exposure settings was observed at the University Hospital of Guadeloupe, a tropical region where published data on heatstroke are limited. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features, environmental conditions, and outcomes of these cases. We conducted a retrospective single-center study including all adult patients admitted with heatstroke between September 1 and 30, 2023. Nine cases were identified over an 18-day period; all patients were male and local residents. Five (55.6%) had exertional heatstroke and four (44.4%) had classic heatstroke. Six patients (66.7%) developed multi-organ failure, of whom five died, with a median time to death of 2 days [1-3]. The median wet bulb globe temperature and heat index at the time of each case were 26.6°C [25.9-26.7] and 33.6°C [31.4-34.4], respectively.