Abstract
BackgroundLittle is known about the characteristics of emergency patients transported to hospital while participating in sports activity. Hence, we identified characteristics of emergency patients transported to hospital by emergency medical service (EMS) while participating in sports activity in Osaka City.MethodsPopulation-based ambulance records of Osaka Municipal Fire Department were reviewed. All sports-related emergency transport cases (ie, patients experiencing external injury or illness during/immediately after participation in sports activity and then transported to hospital by the EMS) were enrolled, including both athletes and recreational sports participants. The study was performed from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. Data of patient characteristics were described according to the type of sports.ResultsDuring the study, 661,190 patients required emergency transport in Osaka city; 2,642 (0.4%) were sports-related emergency transport, including 2,453 external injuries and 298 illnesses. Overall, 79.0% of patients were men and 44.4% were less than 18 years. Emergency transport during ball games accounts for the majority of cases (71.5%, 1,888/2,642), including baseball (n = 380), soccer (n = 368), and futsal (n = 209). The leading diagnosis/symptom of external injury was fracture/bone contusion (n = 701) and that of illness was heatstroke/dehydration (n = 184). Serious acute illness, such as sudden cardiac arrest, accounted for 0.6% (16/2,751) of all accidents, with half of them (n = 8) related to long-distance running.ConclusionCharacteristics of sports-related accidents widely varied by type of sports. Measures to prevent serious accidents during sports activities should be established based on the information on patient characteristics of each type of sports.
Highlights
IntroductionJapan,[1] participation in sports sometimes leads to injuries and acute illnesses
The proportion of the general adult population engaging in sports activities has been increasing in the last 30 years inJapan,[1] participation in sports sometimes leads to injuries and acute illnesses
In the present study, using the population-based ambulance records in Osaka City in Japan, we aimed to reveal the detailed characteristics of emergency patients transported to hospital via the emergency medical service (EMS)
Summary
Japan,[1] participation in sports sometimes leads to injuries and acute illnesses. Serious injuries and illnesses during sports activities that result in emergency transportation to a hospital are important problems for both competitive athletes and recreational sports participants, affecting daily life and the player’s career. The epidemiology of sports-related emergency transport has not been sufficiently investigated at the population level. In the present study, using the population-based ambulance records in Osaka City in Japan, we aimed to reveal the detailed characteristics of emergency patients transported to hospital via the emergency medical service (EMS). Little is known about the characteristics of emergency patients transported to hospital while participating in sports activity. We identified characteristics of emergency patients transported to hospital by emergency medical service (EMS).
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