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Published on: November 21, 2017
Temperature curve complexity predicts survival in critically ill patients
Manuel Varela1, Juan Churruca, Ana Gonzalez
1Servicio de Medicina Interna, and Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital de Mostoles, Mostoles, Madrid, Spain. mvarela.hmtl@salud.madrid.org
Summary
Temperature curve complexity analysis, using approximate entropy (ApEn) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), predicts clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. Lower complexity indicates a poorer prognosis, comparable to the SOFA score.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Physiological Monitoring
Background:
- Temperature curve complexity is inversely related to clinical status in critically ill patients.
- Assessing patient prognosis in intensive care units (ICUs) is crucial for effective treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if temperature curve complexity analysis can predict clinical outcomes in critically ill patients.
- To compare the predictive performance of temperature curve complexity with established clinical measures like the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score.
Main Methods:
- Continuous temperature monitoring in 50 patients with multiple organ failure.
- Time-series complexity analysis using hourly approximate entropy (ApEn) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA).
- Correlation analysis between complexity metrics, SOFA scores, and patient survival outcomes.
Main Results:
- Nonsurvivors showed significantly lower temperature curve complexity (ApEn and DFA) compared to survivors (p < 0.001).
- Lower complexity was a strong predictor of mortality, with increased odds ratios for dying.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed no significant difference in predictive accuracy between complexity measures and SOFA scores.
Conclusions:
- Reduced complexity in temperature curves serves as an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with multiple organ failure.
- Temperature curve complexity analysis offers a predictive capability similar to the SOFA score for clinical outcomes.
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