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Diagnosing and managing heat exhaustion: insights from a systematic review of cases in the desert climate of Mecca

  • Saber Yezli ORCID logo EMAIL logo , Yara Yassin , Sujoud Ghallab , Mashan Abdullah , Bisher Abuyassin , Ramesh Vishwakarma und Abderrezak Bouchama
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 4. August 2023
Reviews on Environmental Health
Aus der Zeitschrift Reviews on Environmental Health Band 39 Heft 4

Abstract

Heat exhaustion (HE) is a common, yet obscure, heat-related illness that affects millions of people yearly and its burden is projected to rise due to climate change. A comprehensive literature synthesis is lacking despite previous studies on various HE aspects. This systematic review aims to fill this gap by identifying and synthesizing available evidence on the risk factors, symptoms, biomarkers, treatment options, and outcomes for HE. The review focused on HE during the Muslim (Hajj) pilgrimage where the condition is endemic. We conducted a structured search of MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases. We summarized the data from eligible studies and synthesized them in narrative form using pooled descriptive statistics. Ten studies were included between 1980 and 2019, reporting over 1,194 HE cases. HE cases presented with elevated core temperature (up to 40°C) and mainly affected older males from the Middle East and North Africa region, with overweight individuals at a higher risk. Clinical symptoms included hyperventilation, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, but not central nervous system disturbances. HE was associated with cardiac stress, and with water, electrolyte, and acid-base alterations. Cooling and hydration therapy were the primary management strategies, leading to a low mortality rate (pooled case fatality rate=0.11 % [95 % CI: 0.01, 0.3]). Most cases recovered within a few hours without complications. HE is associated with cardiac stress and changes in homeostasis, leading to distinct clinical symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of HE are crucial in reducing the risk of complications and mortality. The review provides insights into the pathophysiology and outcomes of HE, adding to the scarce literature on the subject. Prospero registration number: CRD42022325759.

Keywords: climate change; emergency medicine; heat exhaustion; heatstroke; public health; symptoms
Corresponding author: Dr. Saber Yezli, Ph.D, Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Experimental Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University of Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Phone: +966111 464 7272 ext. 77601, E-mail:

  1. Ethical approval: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.

  5. Research funding: None declared.

  6. Data availability: The data supporting the findings of this review are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials.

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Supplementary Material

This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2023-0059).

Received: 2023-05-02
Accepted: 2023-06-14
Published Online: 2023-08-04
Published in Print: 2024-12-17

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2023-0059
Schlagwörter für diesen Artikel
climate change; emergency medicine; heat exhaustion; heatstroke; public health; symptoms

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Reviews
  3. A systematic review on the association between exposure to air particulate matter during pregnancy and the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus
  4. Screen time and childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis
  5. The association between polycystic ovary syndrome and environmental pollutants based on animal and human study; a systematic review
  6. Residues of carcinogenic pesticides in food: a systematic review
  7. The concentration of Lithium in water resources: A systematic review, meta-analysis and health risk assessment
  8. Polychlorinated biphenyls and thyroid function: a scoping review
  9. The European Union assessments of radiofrequency radiation health risks – another hard nut to crack (Review)
  10. Research progresses on the effects of heavy metals on the circadian clock system
  11. Diagnosing and managing heat exhaustion: insights from a systematic review of cases in the desert climate of Mecca
  12. Para-occupational exposure to chemical substances: a systematic review
  13. Association of the ACE2-Angiotensin1-7–Mas axis with lung damage caused by cigarette smoke exposure: a systematic review
  14. Impacts and mechanisms of PM2.5 on bone
  15. Impacts and potential mechanisms of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on male testosterone biosynthesis disruption
  16. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and risk of stroke in adults: a meta-analysis
  17. Prevalence and concentration of aflatoxin M1 and ochratoxin A in cheese: a global systematic review and meta-analysis and probabilistic risk assessment
  18. The effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers on cardiovascular diseases
  19. Biological effects of electromagnetic fields on insects: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  20. Letter to the Editor
  21. Monkeypox and drug repurposing: seven potential antivirals to combat the viral disease
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