Chlorine Gas Exposure: Clinical Course, Outcomes, and Lessons Learned Following a Mass-Exposure Incident in Oman
Hassan Al Balushi, Ahmed Al Saidi, Al Yaqdhan Al Atbi, Ahmed Al Abri, Suad Al Sulaimani, Fatma Al Balushi, Fatma Al Salhi, Ziad Kazzi, Mohamed Al Busafi, Badria AlhataliAbstract
Objectives
To characterize the clinical manifestations of acute chlorine gas exposure and evaluate recovery outcomes at 48 hours and 14 days post-exposure.
Methods
Retrospective observational case series of 31 patients exposed to chlorine gas during a mass incident in Sohar, Oman. Information regarding clinical presentation, treatment outcomes, and post-treatment complications was collected using a structured data collection tool to ensure consistency and accuracy during data extraction. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS v31.
Results
Thirty-one patients presented to the study site and were included in the analysis. All were male with a mean age of 32.3 ± 9.4 years. At presentation, 90.3% of patients were symptomatic, with respiratory manifestations being the most reported symptoms. Eight patients (25.8%) required admission, including 3 admitted to the intensive care unit. At 48-hour follow-up, 18 (58.1%) remained symptomatic. Nine of 29 patients who attended follow-up on day 14 reported persistent symptoms, most commonly cough. No fatalities occurred.
Conclusion
This study reports on the clinical course of acute chlorine exposure, highlighting that recovery often exceeds 2 weeks. Findings underscore the need for standardized clinical management, public awareness, and more rigorous industrial safety oversight to mitigate future chemical surge impacts.