Osborn wave in a patient with intracranial haematoma and hypothermia

Dedeoglu E., Bayram B., Dedeoglu B.

HONG KONG JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, vol.19, no.2, pp.130-132, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 19 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/102490791201900209
  • Journal Name: HONG KONG JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.130-132
  • Keywords: Electrocardiography, heat loss, stroke, thermoregulation, ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC J-WAVE
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature below 35 C. Hypothermia affects all organs, especially the brain and heart. Osborn wave (J) is a positive deflection that is seen at the end of the QRS wave in electrocardiography (ECG) and could be seen in cases such as intracranial events, and hypercalcemia besides hypothermia. An 85-year-old male patient was found unconscious in cold weather. He was hypothermic and J wave was detected in his ECG examination. His brain CT scan revealed intracerebral haematoma. Our aim is to reiterate that intracranial haemorrhage can be a differential diagnosis for patients who come to the emergency department with hypothermia and Osborn wave in ECG. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2012;19: 130-132)