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

In this study, we evaluated the clinical and laboratory data of the patient s 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 und er the rubble for a mean period of 12.3+/-15.1 hours. On admission, 27 pati ents were oligoanuric and the mean serum creatinine, creatinine phosphokina se 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 lowe r extremity. Dialysis treatment was initiated in 40 patients (19 M, 21 F, m ean age: 32.7+/-13.0 years). Mean number of hemodialysis sessions/patient w as 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 mortal ity rate suggests that the death rate from acute renal failure due to crush syndrome could be decreased by extensive follow-up.