Poh Juliana, Anantharaman Venkataraman
Department of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Academic Clinical Program, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608, Singapore.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Sep 8;13(17):2249. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13172249.
Marathon runs conducted in tropical environments can result in high injury rates. This study was conducted to provide information about the burden of injuries in such environments, to aid planning for similar mass events, enhance medical support, and improve participant safety.
This was a retrospective review of casualty data from the Singapore Marathon races from 2013 to 2016. Patient Presentation Rate (PPR) and Transport to Hospital Rate (THR) were calculated and correlated with heat index, derived from weather information. Injury types were also reviewed. The negative binomial regression was performed to investigate impact of heat index on casualty rates. The medical response plan is briefly described.
During the four-year period covered, heat index increased from 29° to 35°. There were more casualties amongst the participants from the full marathon than other race categories. The THR was 0.3 to 0.68 per 1000 participants. Two participants had cardiac arrest. Negative binomial regression showed significant impact of heat index on casualty rate. Incidence rate ratio was 1.22 for severe casualties, which indicated that every 1 unit increase in heat index resulted in 22% rise in severe casualty numbers. Compared with 10 km racers, half marathon racers experienced 1.58 times greater likelihood of all injuries and full marathon racers, a 3.87 times greater risk.
Adverse weather conditions with high-heat index can increase injury rates during strenuous physical activities such as the marathon. Applying careful measures to minimise the impact of heat and high humidity may help minimise such injuries.
在热带环境中举办的马拉松比赛可能导致较高的受伤率。本研究旨在提供有关此类环境中伤病负担的信息，以协助规划类似的大型活动、加强医疗支持并提高参与者的安全性。
这是一项对2013年至2016年新加坡马拉松比赛伤亡数据的回顾性研究。计算了患者就诊率（PPR）和送往医院率（THR），并将其与根据天气信息得出的热指数相关联。还对损伤类型进行了回顾。进行了负二项回归分析，以研究热指数对伤亡率的影响。简要描述了医疗应对计划。
在涵盖的四年期间，热指数从29°升至35°。全程马拉松参与者中的伤亡人数多于其他比赛项目。THR为每1000名参与者0.3至0.68例。有两名参与者发生心脏骤停。负二项回归显示热指数对伤亡率有显著影响。严重伤亡的发病率比为1.22，这表明热指数每增加1个单位，严重伤亡人数就会增加22%。与10公里赛跑者相比，半程马拉松赛跑者发生所有损伤的可能性高1.58倍，全程马拉松赛跑者的风险高3.87倍。
高热指数的不利天气条件会增加马拉松等剧烈体育活动期间的受伤率。采取谨慎措施以尽量减少高温和高湿度的影响可能有助于减少此类伤害。
