Hypothermic patients admitted to an intensive care unit: a fifteen year survey

In the period 1975-1989, 620 (4.5%) of 13,645 patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a Danish university hospital were diagnosed as suffering from hypothermia. The aim of the retrospective survey carried out is to describe this group of patients and to evaluate the methods used for rewarming. The degree of hypothermia was mild in 554 of the patients, moderate in 60, and severe in six. The rewarming method used was passive rewarming with the use of endogenous heat production. Rewarming was established with a median temperature increment of 0.1 to 2.5 degrees centigrade. The mortality rate showed no relationship to the hypothermia. With the exception of extracorporal circulation, the rewarming and mortality rates did not differ from the results shown in studies carried out using active and invasive rewarming procedures. In conclusion, with the exception of extracorporal circulation, rewarming of hypothermic patients by preservation of the endogenous heat production seems as effective as active and invasive rewarming methods.