Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
Defibrillation in patients with accidental hypothermia and core temperatures ≤30°C – A retrospective observational study
Authors' conclusion
Defibrillation attempts can be successful before rewarming at Tc ≤30°C. The success rate is higher during rewarming and at a higher Tc. Tc is a strong and independent predictor of defibrillation success. Defibrillation at Tc <25°C is unlikely. These findings require confirmation in larger studies.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with hypothermic cardiac arrest (Tc ≤30°C) and shockable rhythms undergoing defibrillation attempts before and during rewarming with or without extracorporeal life supportpatients with cardiac arrest, shockable rhythm, and Tc ≤30°C · before rewarming 20 · during rewarming 17
- Participants
- Thirty-seven patients
- Exposure
- Defibrillation during rewarming vs before rewarming
- during rewarmingn = 17
- before rewarmingn = 20
Methodological detailsInternational Hypothermia Registry, multivariate binomial logistic regression
- International Hypothermia Registry
- Multivariate binomial logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Overall defibrillation success rate
Overall success rate
22/37
59%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Success rate of defibrillation · higher if defibrillation was performed during rewarming
P < 0.001
| Outcome | During rewarming | Before rewarming | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tc at the time of the defibrillation attempt · higher if defibrillation was performed during rewarming | 29.0°C (range as printed 28.0-30.0°C) °C | 25.8°C (range as printed 24.0-26.2°C) °C | P < 0.001 |
Defibrillation success by Tc
- No defibrillation attempt was successful at Tc <24.8°C
Original publication
Defibrillation in patients with accidental hypothermia and core temperatures ≤30°C – A retrospective observational study. Resuscitation. Published 20 January 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it