Pediatric kidney care experience after the 2023 Türkiye earthquake.

BACKGROUND: Two earthquakes on 6 February 2023 destroyed 10 cities in Türkiye. We report our experience with pediatric victims during these catastrophes, with a focus on crush syndrome related-acute kidney injury (Crush-AKI) and death. METHOD: Web-based software was prepared. Patient demographics, time under rubble (TUR), admission laboratory data, dialysis, and kidney and overall outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 903 injured children (median age 11.62 years) were evaluated. Mean TUR was 13 h (interquartile range 32.5, max 240 h). Thirty-one of 32 patients with a TUR of >120 h survived. The patient who was rescued after 10 days survived. Two-thirds of the patients were given 50 mEq/L sodium bicarbonate in 0.45% sodium chloride solution on admission day. Fifty-eight percent of patients were given intravenous fluid (IVF) at a volume of 2000-3000 mL/m2 body surface area (BSA), 40% at 3000-4000 mL/m2 BSA and only 2% at >4000 mL/m2 BSA. A total of 425 patients had surgeries, and 48 suffered from major bleeding. Amputations were recorded in 96 patients. Eighty-two and 66 patients required ventilator and inotropic support, respectively. Crush-AKI developed in 314 patients (36% of all patients). In all, 189 patients were dialyzed. Age >15 years, creatine phosphokinase (CK) ≥20 950 U/L, TUR ≥10 h and the first-day IVF volume <3000-4000 mL/m2 BSA were associated with Crush-AKI development. Twenty-two deaths were recorded, 20 of 22 occurring in patients with Crush-AKI and within the first 4 days of admission. All patients admitted after 7 days survived. CONCLUSIONS: These are the most extensive pediatric kidney disaster data obtained after an earthquake. Serum CK level was significantly associated with Crush-AKI at the levels of >20 950 U/L, but not with death. Adolescent age and initial IVF of less than 3000-4000 mL/m2 BSA were also associated with Crush-AKI. Given that mildly injured victims can survive longer periods in the disaster field, we suggest uninterrupted rescue activity for at least 10 days.

Crush Syndrome of Children in Kahramanmaras Earthquake: A Single Center Experience in Malatya.

OBJECTIVE: Natural disasters cause enormous environmental, economic, and human losses. Children are the most vulnerable group and face severe consequences. While the primary cause of post-traumatic death is direct injury, the secondary cause is crush syndrome (CS). In this study, we aimed to share our experience in the management of children with CS during disasters by evaluating the clinical and laboratory outcomes of a group of 26 paediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Age, weight, length of time under rubble, laboratory results, and characteristics of crush injuries were assessed in 26 paediatric patients admitted to the emergency department after the earthquake. Diagnostic criteria for CS were established and the need for dialysis, hyperbaric oxygen or amputation and its determinants were assessed. RESULTS: Crush syndrome was observed in 10 of the 26 patients. Significant differences in creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, hematocrit, pH, HCO3, and myoglobin levels were observed between patients with and without CS. None of the individuals rescued from the rubble within the first 6 hours had symptoms associated with CS. These 10 patients who developed CS were rescued within the first 48 hours of the earthquake, while 2 siblings were rescued after 81 hours and did not develop CS. CONCLUSION: The fact that the children were rescued from the rubble after 81 hours without developing CS shows the importance of patience in rescue operations. In addition, the very cold weather conditions during this earthquake may have prevented the development of dehydration and acute kidney injury and reduced the possibility of CS.