Unexplained septicaemia and pneumoperitoneum in Vietnamese boat people: a self-inflicted condition?
BACKGROUND
Ten Vietnamese boat people with septicaemic shock or pneumoperitoneum were admitted between April and July 1993.


METHODS
In order to investigate the cause of unexplained septicaemic shock and spontaneous pneumoperitoneum in Vietnamese boat people, an audit was carried out. Attention was paid to the mode of presentation, abnormal physical signs, presence of injection marks, radiological signs, subsequent progress outcome.


RESULTS
The clinical and radiological findings were all in favour of self-inflicted conditions. A retrospective review from the hospital record revealed that the emergency admission rate and disappearance rate of the Vietnamese boat people was higher than those of other patients (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that self-inflicted conditions are a serious problem among the Vietnamese boat people, who may use a hospital admission to avoid the detention centre.
Chung
C C
CC
Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Cheng
C W
CW
Lau
W Y
WY
Li
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000150:complications*; D008499:Medical Records; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000209:etiology*; D012036:Refugees; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology; D014744:Vietnam