Clinical, etiological, and electrophysiological characteristics of patients with peripheral nerve damage caused by the February 6 earthquake in Türkiye

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the clinical, etiological, and electrophysiological characteristics of the February 6 earthquake victims referred to our center due to nerve damage.

Patients and methods: In this retrospective study, the demographic characteristics and findings of clinical examinations of 36 earthquake victims (25 females, 11 males; mean age: 31.6±15.5 years; range, 5 to 61 years) referred to our electrophysiology laboratory during the four-month period following the February 6 earthquake were investigated. The patients’ time spent under rubble, affected extremities, and electrophysiological findings were evaluated, and the locations of their lesions were determined using electromyography.

Results: The mean time spent under rubble was 14.94±18.62 h, and 31 (86.1%) patients experienced partial nerve damage. Nerves were affected peripherally in 23 (74.2%) patients, at the lumbosacral plexus level in four (12.9%) patients, and at the brachial plexus level in another four (12.9%). Patients who were under rubble for more than 6.5 h had an increased risk of developing crush syndrome (p=0.014), and those under rubble for more than 8.5 h had an increased risk of developing compartment syndrome (p=0.008).

Conclusion: The duration of exposure to rubble has been identified as a significant factor in the severity of nerve injury, as well as the development of compartment syndrome and crush syndrome. Therefore, the potential for peripheral nerve injury, which is a significant cause of morbidity, should be considered in the follow-up of patients who have survived earthquakes.

Cite this article as: Gesoglu Demir T, Ethemoglu KB. Clinical, etiological, and electrophysiological characteristics of patients with peripheral nerve damage caused by the February 6 earthquake in Türkiye. Turk J Neurol 2024;30(3):141-148. doi: 10.55697/tnd.2024.103.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

The study protocol was approved by the Harran University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date: 21.08.2023, no: HRU/23.15.13). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

A written informed consent was obtained from each patient.

Idea/concept design, data collection and/or processing, literature review: T.G.D.; Control/supervision: K.B.E.; Analysis and/or interpretation, critical review, writing the article: T.G.D., K.B.E.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.