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Effectiveness of Inflatable Warming Blankets for Preventing Perioperative Hypothermia in Children: A Meta-Analysis
Pei-Ying Ye1, Xiao-Yun Chen1, Xi-Chun Wu1
1Central Sterile Supply Department, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
Insights
Inflatable heating blankets effectively maintain intraoperative temperature and shorten recovery time in pediatric surgery patients. While hypothermia and shivering trends were noted, further research is needed for statistical significance.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
- Pediatric Surgery
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Perioperative hypothermia is a common complication in pediatric surgery.
- Maintaining normothermia is crucial for patient outcomes.
- Current insulation methods vary in effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating inflatable heating blankets against noninflatable methods.
- To assess the impact on intraoperative core body temperature and postoperative recovery.
- To determine the effectiveness in preventing perioperative hypothermia in children.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across multiple databases up to December 2023.
- Independent screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal by two reviewers.
- Meta-analysis performed using RevMan 5.4 software.
Main Results:
- Seven studies with 417 pediatric patients were included.
- Inflatable heating blankets significantly improved intraoperative temperature (SMD=1.79, p<0.01).
- Inflatable heating blankets significantly shortened postoperative recovery time (SMD=-1.66, p<0.01).
Conclusions:
- Inflatable heating blankets are more effective than noninflatable methods for maintaining normothermia during pediatric surgery.
- These blankets also significantly reduce postoperative recovery time.
- Observed trends for reduced hypothermia and shivering require further investigation due to low-certainty evidence.
Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of inflatable heating blankets compared to noninflatable insulation methods in preventing perioperative hypothermia in children through a meta-analysis.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, Nursing Database (CINAHL), China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), VIP Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wanfang Database were conducted for studies published up to December 2023. Eligible studies were independently screened and appraised by two reviewers. Data were extracted and pooled using RevMan 5.4 for meta-analysis.
Results:
Seven studies comprising 417 pediatric patients from three countries were included. Meta-analysis showed that inflatable heating blankets significantly improved intraoperative core body temperature compared to noninflatable methods (SMD = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.19-2.39, p < 0.01; moderate-certainty evidence), and significantly shortened postoperative recovery time (SMD = -1.66, 95% CI: -2.80 to -0.53, p < 0.01; moderate-certainty evidence). The incidence of hypothermia appeared lower in the inflatable group (RR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.03-0.36, p = 0.24), but this difference was not statistically significant and is supported by low-certainty evidence due to imprecision and risk of bias. Similarly, the reduction in postoperative shivering (RR = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.04-0.55, p = 0.26) showed a favorable trend but was also based on low-certainty evidence.
Conclusion:
This meta-analysis suggests that inflatable heating blankets are more effective than noninflatable insulation methods in maintaining intraoperative normothermia and reducing postoperative recovery time in pediatric surgical patients. Although trends toward lower rates of hypothermia and shivering were observed, these differences were not statistically significant and should be interpreted with caution.
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