Citation

Ketko I, Druyan A, Yanovich R, Epstein Y, Heled Y. Disaster Mil. Med. 2015; 1: e18.

Affiliation

The Warrior Health Research Institute, Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel ; grid.413795.d0000000121072845Heller Institute of Medical Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s40696-015-0010-3

PMID

28265433

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The common practice in the Israel defense Forces is that exertional heat related injury patients undergo a heat tolerance test 6-8 weeks post event as part of the "return to duty" process. In the case of a positive heat tolerance test the individual is classified as heat intolerant, in some cases however, the thermoregulatory recovery may be longer (several months), and therefore a second heat tolerance test is scheduled 6-8 weeks later. The presented case reports emphasize the possibility of different recovery periods of the thermoregulatory center and the distinction between congenital and acquired physiological heat intolerance. CASE DESCRIPTION: Two young healthy males (A and B) were diagnosed with exertional heat related injury during a pre-recruitment sorting process. Both underwent a heat tolerance test, and were found heat intolerant. During the next months they repeated the test several times. Patient A was finally diagnosed as heat tolerant and patient B was diagnosed as heat intolerant.

CONCLUSION: Susceptibility to heat is a significant determinant for active young people such as athletes and soldiers. Both cases emphasize the importance of the heat tolerance test (and repeated test when needed) as a criteria for an exertional heat related injury patient to return to duty/play and to perform intense physical activities. These cases also emphasize the effectiveness and sensitivity of the test in identifying a temporary and a permanent state of heat intolerance.

Language: en

Keywords

Exercise; Heat injury; Heat tolerance test; Thermoregulation