Heat stroke and multi-organ failure with liver involvement in an asylum-seeking refugee

Abstract

Heat stroke is the result of exposure to high environmental temperature and strenuous exercise representing a medical emergency characterized by an elevated core body temperature and central nervous system disorders. Slightly elevated liver enzymes, lacking clinical significance, seem to be frequent in heat stroke, whereas severe, clinically relevant, hepatocellular injury has been observed in only a minority of cases. In the present report we describe the case of an otherwise healthy young asylum-seeking refugee from East Timor, who developed severe heat stroke during his transportation to Greece in a closed container on a ship under unusually high temperatures. He was admitted to the hospital with severe multi-organ failure. After a short period of initial improvement, he developed severe hepatocellular injury and hepatic encephalopathy. Other causes of liver damage were excluded. The patient completely recovered.