%0 Journal Article
%T A decade after the Tokyo sarin attack: a review of neurological follow-up of the victims
%J Military medicine
%D 2007
%A Hoffman, A.
%A Eisenkraft, Arik
%A Finkelstein, Arseny
%A Schein, Ophir
%A Rotman, Eran
%A Dushnitsky, Tsvika
%V 172
%N 6
%P 607-610
%X OBJECTIVE: On March 20, 1995, sarin gas was used in Tokyo by members of the Japanese "Uhm-Shinrikiu" cult, killing 12 and injuring >5,500 innocent people. Most of the casualties were mildly injured. This article reviews the neurological follow-up data for some of the victims over the past decade. METHODS: We reviewed the published literature regarding neurological follow-up of the victims, dividing the data according to the time elapsed after the attack. RESULTS: The digit span test, finger-tapping test, and computerized posturography were the only performance tests that showed statistically significant differences between the victims and the control groups in some of the surveys. The main sequela 7 years after the attack was post-traumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the need for a national preparedness program for such mass casualty events, led by national health systems. This should include long-term, neurological, follow-up monitoring with performance tests and a post-traumatic stress disorder screening test.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
%@ 0026-4075
%U http://dx.doi.org/