Demographic and Injury Characteristics of Patients Injured in a Hailstorm.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics, injury characteristics, and outcomes of individuals sustaining injuries during a hailstorm in Istanbul, Turkey.

Methods: In this study, the medical records of 76 patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital after incurring injuries due to hailstorms were retrospectively reviewed. Analyses were performed to identify hailstorm-associated injury profiles, injury mechanisms, patient demographics, and ED resource use.

Results: Of the 76 patients, 42 (55.3%) were male and 34 (44.7%) were female, with the ages of the patients ranging from five to 79 years. Of the patients, 93.4% presented to the ED within the first eight hours after a hailstorm. The most common injury mechanisms were the direct impact of hailstones on the body surface (36.8%) and slips and falls during escape (35.6%). The most frequently injured anatomical areas were skin (60.5%), head (44.7%), and extremities (16.7%). Significant injuries occurred in only 11.8% of the patients, of whom three were treated surgically and one died. The most common injuries were soft tissue and minor head injuries.

Conclusions: Severe hailstorms often strike suddenly and can be difficult to predict. In response, EDs must handle a large number of injured patients in the aftermath of a hailstorm. It is important to remember that hailstorms, like other natural disasters, can cause serious injuries.