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Clinical Presentations and Outcomes of Industrial Chlorine Gas Exposure Incidence in Oman

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2020

Muhammad Faisal Khilji Open the ORCID record for Muhammad Faisal Khilji [Opens in a new window]
Muhammad Faisal Khilji*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
*
Correspondence: Dr. Muhammad Faisal Khilji, Specialist Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, P. O. Box 38, P. C .123, AL –Khod, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, E-mail: faisalkhilji@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Objective:

The main objective was to study different clinical presentations and outcomes of patients after acute industrial chlorine gas exposure in Oman with evaluation of overall incident management to help develop a chemical exposure incident protocol.

Methods:

This was a retrospective observational study of 15 patients exposed to chlorine gas after an accidental chlorine gas leak in a metal melting factory in Oman.

Results:

Six (40%) patients were admitted and nine (60%) patients were discharged from the emergency department (ED) after initial management. The important post-chlorine gas exposure clinical symptoms were eye irritation (66.6%), cough (73.3%), shortness of breath (40.0%), chest discomfort (66.6%), rhinorrhea (66.6%), dizziness (40.0%), vomiting (46.6%), sore throat (13.3%), and stridor (53.3%). Important signs included tachycardia (40.0%), tachypnea (40.0%), wheeze (20.0%), and use of accessory muscles for breathing (20.0%). Signs and symptoms of eye irritation, rhinorrhea, tachycardia, tachypnea, wheeze, and use of accessory muscles for breathing have shown significant correlation with outcome (admission) having P value of <.05.

Conclusion:

In the presented acute chlorine gas exposure incidence, 15 exposed persons were brought to the ED, out of which six were admitted and nine were discharged after symptomatic treatment. Signs and symptoms of eye irritation, rhinorrhea, tachycardia, tachypnea, wheeze, and use of accessory muscles of breathing show significant relation with the outcome of admission.

Keywords

chlorinegasincidencelungtoxicity
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 18 - 24
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine

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