Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
Change of target temperature from 36 °C to strict fever avoidance only in comatose cardiac arrest survivors – A before and after study
Authors' conclusion
The implementation strict fever control strategy was feasible and did not result in increased prevalence of fever, poorer protocol adherence, or worse patient outcomes. Most patients in the fever control group did not require external cooling.
Study context
- Population
- Comatose cardiac arrest survivors, Finnish tertiary academic hospital
- Participants
- 120 survivors
- Exposure
- Strict fever control vs mild therapeutic hypothermia
- ≤36 °Cn = 77reference
- ≤37 °Cn = 43
- Outcome
- Fever, protocol adherence and outcome
- Follow-up
- 36 h sedation period
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Fever, protocol adherence and outcome · 36 h sedation period
Time spent >37.7 °C ≤36 °C 0.90% · ≤37 °C 1.1%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Good neurological outcome (CPC 1-2) · 30 daysMultivariable model | 0.88 (0.33–2.3) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
- Good neurological outcome (CPC 1-2) — Similar between groups: 47% vs 44% (≤36 °C vs ≤37 °C)
- p = 0.787
Use of external cooling devices
- Used in 90% vs 44% of patients (≤36 °C vs ≤37 °C)
- P < 0.001
Original publication
Change of target temperature from 36 °C to strict fever avoidance only in comatose cardiac arrest survivors – A before and after study. Resuscitation. Published 12 April 2023. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it