Whether the medical aspects of lightning injury are different in developing countries

Abstract

Multiple reports have reviewed the medical aspects of lightning injury but they are primarily based on cases that are taken from developed countries [1-3]. Often, accounts in developing countries report much more severe injuries than usually occur in developed countries. Insufficient data exists to determine if these reports are exceptions or actually reflect a difference in injury pattern. This paper will examine potential reasons for bias in these reports as well as propose hypotheses that may account for any true differences in the injuries.