Few Runners Who Seek Medical Care During Marathons Require Hospital Transport

Community mass-gathering events such as marathons usually establish field medical facilities with limited capability. Investigators conducted a cross-sectional epidemiologic study of medical care required among 33,700 runners who participated in the Baltimore Marathon in 2002 through 2005. Overall, 1144 runners (3%) presented to any of eight medical aid stations located along the course that were staffed by teams that included emergency physicians. The 758 patients who requested over-the-counter medications or simple medical supplies but did not require medical evaluation or treatment were excluded from analysis. The study group included the remaining 386 runners (52% male; mean age, 35; age range, 14–75) who received medical evaluation, tr…