Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun
A sports ground in Kumamoto city, which served as an emergency parking lot after the earthquakes in 2016 Photo courtesy of
New research has revealed a link between earthquake evacuation and venous thromboembolism (VTE).
The study showed that people who spent the night in their cars after the Kumamoto earthquakes had an increased risk of VTE.
Researchers have therefore called for education about the risk of VTE among people who remain seated and immobile in vehicles for prolonged periods.
“Preventive awareness activities by professional medical teams, supported by education in the media about the risk of VTEs after spending the night in a vehicle, and raising awareness of evacuation centers could lead to a reduced number of victims of VTE,” said Seiji Hokimoto, MD, PhD, of Kumamoto University in Kumamoto, Japan.
Dr Hokimoto and colleagues made this point in a letter published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
The researchers studied the aftermath of the Kumamoto earthquakes that occurred in April 2016.
The team noted that a high number of aftershocks at night prompted many people to evacuate their homes. Although some individuals reached a public evacuation shelter, many were forced to stay in their vehicles overnight.
To assess the impact of remaining seated in cars for extended periods of time, the researchers gathered data from 21 local medical institutions.
They found that 51 patients were hospitalized for VTE after the earthquakes, including 35 who developed pulmonary embolism (PE).
Most of the patients who developed VTE had spent the night in a vehicle (82.4%, n=42).
The researchers found that VTE patients who spent the night in a vehicle were significantly younger than patients who did not, with mean ages of 64.6 ± 13.3 and 79.8 ± 12.1, respectively (P=0.001).
The mean time to onset of VTE after the earthquakes was significantly shorter in patients who spent the night in a vehicle—7.3 ± 5.3 days vs 20.1 ± 25.6 days (P=0.003).
And the incidence of PE was significantly higher in patients who spent the night in a vehicle—83% vs 33% (P=0.001).
“This is a dramatic example of the risks inherent in spending prolonged periods immobilized in a cramped position,” said Stanley Nattel, MD, editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
“It is an important reminder of a public health point and reinforces the need to get up and walk around regularly when on an airplane or when forced to stay in a car for a long time.”