The impact of preoperative carbohydrate loading on intraoperative body temperature: a randomized controlled clinical...

Preoperative carbohydrate loading (CHO) is one element of the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol. No clinical trial has investigated the impact of preoperative CHO on intraoperative body temperature.

This study was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial involving patients undergoing laparoscopic colon cancer surgery. The primary end point was the intraoperative core temperature during surgery, which was measured at 30-min intervals for 150 min after starting surgery. The secondary end points were short-term outcomes and body composition changes.

From July 2013 to May 2014, we randomized 70 patients into the control group (n = 33) or CHO group (n = 31); six patients were excluded. The core temperature of the CHO group 90, 120, and 150 min after starting surgery was significantly lower than that of the control group (control vs. CHO, respectively: 90 min; 36.26 ± 0.41 vs. 36.05 ± 0.43 °C, p = 0.0233, 120 min; 36.30 ± 0.44 vs. 36.06 ± 0.50 °C, p = 0.0283, 150 min; 36.33 ± 0.50 vs. 36.01 ± 0.56 °C, p = 0.0186). We also found a significant difference in body weight loss (control vs. CHO, respectively: - 1.6 ± 0.8 vs. - 0.9 ± 1.4 kg, p = 0.0304) and loss of lower limb muscle mass (- 0.7 ± 0.7 vs. - 0.3 ± 0.6 kg, p = 0.0110) between the control and CHO groups, respectively.

CHO had no effect on raising the intraoperative core temperature, and no negative impact on the perioperative outcome. CHO prevented the loss of lower limb muscle mass, which may lead to better postoperative recovery.