Induced hypothermia in intensive care medicine

Induced hypothermia as adjunctive therapy has been the subject of considerable research interest and debate for over fifty years. Recently the first prospective randomized controlled trials were undertaken in humans with severe traumatic brain injury, with supportive results. Another prospective controlled study of induced hypothermia in severe septic adult respiratory distress syndrome also suggested improved outcome. Other studies in patients with anoxic brain injury have been suggested following promising findings in animal models. There have been anecdotal reports of the use of induced hypothermia in a wide range of other neurological injuries. There are significant physiological changes during induced hypothermia, particularly affecting the cardiovascular system. In addition, hypokalaemia, prolonged clotting times and neutropenia may occur. The evidence that induced hypothermia may be hazardous is mostly drawn from the literature on accidental hypothermia occurring in trauma, or patients with sepsis. It is likely that further trials will be conducted and if benefit is confirmed, induced hypothermia may become more widely used in selected patients in the intensive care unit.