The impact of creatine kinase and base excess on the clinical outcome of crush injuries sustained during the Kahramanmaras/Turkey earthquakes on February 6, 2023

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the usefulness of base excess (BE) and creatine kinase (CK) in predicting the extent of damage to the extremities, the need for hemodialysis, and the likelihood of mortality in crush injuries. Our study included patients who were affected by the earthquakes that occurred in Kahramanmaras/Turkey on February 6, 2023 and were diagnosed with crush injuries. The study was a retrospective observational study. We used chi-square test, independent sample t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine whether CK and BE values can be used to predict damage to the extremities, hemodialysis requirement, and mortality. A total of 299 patients were included in the study. A statistically significant relationship was found between BE and extremity damage, hemodialysis requirement, and mortality (P < .005). A statistically significant difference was also seen in terms of extremity damage and hemodialysis requirement with CK (P < .001), while there was no statistically significant difference seen in mortality (P = .204). BE may serve as a predictive biomarker for the development of extremities damage, hemodialysis requirement, and mortality. CK is not predictive of mortality.