Urban hypothermia and hyperglycemia in the elderly.
From December 1993 to March 1999 we treated 18 elderly patients aged 66-87 years, suffering from urban hypothermia: 11 women and 7 men. Ten patients suffered from moderate hypothermia (rectal temperature 32-35 degrees C), and eight from severe hypothermia (rectal temperature < 32 degrees C). Regarding consciousness, in the group suffering from moderate hypothermia, 3 were somnolent and 6 in various degrees of comatose states. In the group suffering from severe hypothermia, 3 patients were somnolent or soporous and 5 in comatose states of various degrees. Values of arterial blood pressure in the group with moderate hypothermia was normal in one, in 3 arterial hypotension was observed and 6 were in a state of shock. In the group with severe hypothermia, 3 presented arterial hypotension and 5 were in a state of shock. In the group with moderate hypothermia the blood glucose level was elevated in six: 9.3-10.2-10.7-17.9-21.3-99.0, and in one patient the blood glucose level was low: 2.3 mmol/L, in correlation with hypoglycemic coma. In the group with severe hypothermia in all eight patients the values were elevated: 6.7-7.4-7.6-8.7-9.1-11.2-12.4-17.9 mmol/L.
Duraković
Z
Z
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Rebro, Zagreb, Croatia.
Misigoj-Duraković
M
M
Corović
N
N
Cubrilo-Turek
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003128:Coma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007022:Hypotension; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012769:Shock; D014505:Urban Population