Hypothermia and the outcomes in emergency department

Abstract

Hypothermia is defined as a core temperature less than 35 which is commonly seen in patients with loss of consciences. It increases the mortality due to impaired cardio respiratory function, peripheral vasoconstriction, bleeding diathesis, metabolic acidosis, diminished hepatorenal function and impaired immune response. We decide to investigate the prevalence of hypothermia and its relationship with patients’ outcome considering the problem mentioned and inadequate attention to hypothermia. Investigation was done in 100 emergent patients who presented to Iran university hospital, Tehran, Iran. This descriptive study was done during 4 month; tympanic infrared thermometer was used to measure the temperature. The temperature was measured 0.1 and 6 hr. after arrival and then gathered data was processed by SPSS statistical software. Our goal was to find the relation between patients’ core temperature and their outcomes in emergent patients. Some other data such as mortality and need for critical care or ward admission, was also included. Hypothermia was detected in 35.3% of the patients. There was significant correlation between hypothermia and mortality P; 0.002. Hypothermia was more prevalent in patients who were died but there was no significant correlation between hypothermia and the need for critical care length of stay.