Characteristics and outcomes of patients with cold-related local injuries and accidental hypothermia from emergency department–based surveillance network in northern region of South Korea:

Background:Cold weather has been known to cause various cold-related local injuries as well as accidental hypothermia.Objectives:The aim of this study is to investigate the basal characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors of patients with cold-related comorbidities using prospective emergency department–based surveillance system in high-risk area.Methods:We designed a prospective emergency department–based surveillance system throughout northern part of Gyeonggi province located in the northernmost of South Korea. A total of 20 emergency departments participated in the surveillance system. Patients who visited emergency department with cold-related comorbidities from 1 December 2012 to 28 February 2013 were prospectively enrolled in final analysis. We analyzed risk factors associated with outcome and correlation between climate factor (wind-chill index) and incidence.Results:During the study period, 54 patients with cold-related comorbidities were used for final analysis, including 35 hypothermia, 15 fro...