Temporary heat intolerance in a heatstroke patient

A case history of recurrent heatstroke is presented. The first heatstroke was incurred during strenuous exercise following acute gastroenteritis; the second heatstroke happened 1 month later during a march in hot climatic conditions. Two heat tolerance tests were performed. On the first, 1 month after the second incidence, an intolerance to heat was observed which, on the second test 5 months after the incidence, had disappeared. It is proposed that acute intercurrent illness and heatstroke in itself cause temporary susceptibility to exercise in heat, and that every heatstroke patient should be examined to determine the efficiency of his thermoregulatory mechanisms.