A systematic review of differences between brain temperature and core body temperature in adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Review Question/Objectives The overall aim of this systematic review is to critically appraise, synthesise and present the best available evidence in relation to the absolute temperature difference between brain temperature and core body temperature in adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury. The review objective is to synthesize the best available research evidence that core body temperature is a proxy for brain temperature in adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury. This will then aid clinicians to see if core body temperature can be used as a proxy for brain temperature and thus used in the clinical setting to detect brain hyper- or hypothermia in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Inclusion Criteria Types of participants The review will consider studies that include adult (more than 18 years old) male and female patients admitted into the critical care setting with the diagnosis of severe traumatic brain injury, with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of less than eight, and who require brain temperature monitoring. Exclusion Criteria This systematic review will not include the following: • Publications with brain temperature monitoring performed on non-human subjects • Publications that focused on other conditions like stroke, brain tumours, or other neurosurgical procedures Phenomena of interest The review will consider studies that measure brain temperature and core body temperature. Brain temperature monitoring methods that are included in this review include subdural, intraventricular and parenchymal measurements as well as jugular bulb (blood drained from the intracerebral vasculature21). Core body temperature monitoring methods that will be included in this review include tympanic membrane, temporal artery, rectal, bladder, esophageal and pulmonary artery. Types of outcomes The agreement of core body temperature as a proxy for brain temperature in adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Review question: What is the best available evidence that core body temperature is a proxy for brain temperature in adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury? We will look at whether brain temperature is higher, lower, or the same as core body temperature in patients with severe TBI.