Incidence and Consequences of Near-Drowning–Related Pneumonia—A Descriptive Series from Martinique, French West Indies

Laura Cerland, Bruno Mégarbane, Hatem Kallel, Yanick Brouste, Hossein Mehdaoui and Dabor Resiere
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Laura Cerland: Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Martinique, Fort-de-France, 97261 Martinique, France
Bruno Mégarbane: Department of Medical and Toxicological Critical Care, Lariboisière Hospital, Paris-Diderot University, INSERM UMR-S 1144, 75013 Paris, France
Hatem Kallel: Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Centre of the French Guiana, 97306 Cayenne, France
Yanick Brouste: Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Martinique, Fort-de-France, 97261 Martinique, France
Hossein Mehdaoui: Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Martinique, Fort-de-France, 97261 Martinique, France
Dabor Resiere: Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Martinique, Fort-de-France, 97261 Martinique, France

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-6

Abstract: Drowning represents one major cause of accidental death. Near-drowning patients are exposed to aspiration that may result in pneumonia with life-threatening consequences. We designed this descriptive study to investigate the frequency, nature, and consequences of post-drowning pneumonia. One hundred and forty-four near-drowning patients (33 children and 111 adults) admitted during four years to the University Hospital of Martinique, French Indies, were included. Patients presented pre-hospital cardiac arrest (41%) and exhibited acute respiratory failure (54%), cardiovascular failure (27%), and lactic acidosis (75%) on admission. Empirical antibiotics, as decided by the physicians in charge, were administered in 85 patients (59%). Post-drowning early onset bacterial pneumonia was diagnosed as “possible” in 13 patients (9%) and “confirmed” in 22 patients (15%). Tracheal aspiration revealed the presence of polymorphous pharyngeal flora (59%) or one predominant bacteria species (41%) including Enterobacter aerogenes , Enterobacter cloacae , Staphylococcus aureus , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Aeromonas hydrophilia , and Morganella morgani . Despite adequate supportive care, drowning resulted in 45 fatalities (31%). Early onset bacterial aspiration pneumonia (either possible or confirmed) did not significantly influence the risk of death. In conclusion, near-drowning–related bacterial aspiration pneumonia seems rare and does not influence the mortality rate. There is still a need for practice standardization to improve diagnosis of post-drowning pneumonia and near-drowning patient management.

Keywords: drowning; pneumonia; aspiration; predictive factor; fatality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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