Background: Heat stroke is a life-threatening syndrome that is characterized by its severe clinical symptoms, rapid progression, and high rate of mortality. Recently, research has indicated that a dysfunctional intestinal epithelia barrier plays an important role in the pathophysiology of heat stroke. Protecting the intestines from heat stress had been identified as a potentially effective treatment for patients with heat stroke and may reduce the innate immune response caused by endotoxins in circulation.
Objectives: The aim of this review is to discuss this key event in heat stroke and to describe the mechanism during progression.
Discussion: Direct injuries and secondary impairments of the intestine induced by heat stress are discussed; recent studies that refer to intestine-specific prevention and treatment in heat stroke and heat stress-induced injuries are also summarized.
Conclusions: A more detailed pathogenesis of heat stroke needs to be elucidated so that potentially effective means of treatment and prevention of heat stroke can be developed and studied.
Keywords: heat stroke; intestinal injury; intestinal mucosal barrier.
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