[Can acute stroke be treated with hypothermia?]

In animal stroke models, treatment with mild hypothermia (30-34 degrees C) for 3-4 hours may reduce the size of cerebral infarction if started within three hours of the initiation of cerebral ischaemia. The mechanism by which hypothermia exerts its neuroprotective effect is unknown, but experimental studies have shown the release of neurotoxic excitatory amino acids and free oxygen radicals to be reduced during hypothermic ischaemia. In patients with acute stroke, body temperature above 37.5 degrees C are associated with poor outcome, and temperatures below 36.5 degrees C with improved outcome, compared to normothermic patients. Due to the unpleasantness of cooling and side effects as shivering, hypothermia may not be tolerated by stroke patients without sedation of light anaesthesia which may increase the risk of hypotension and respiratory complications. However, lowering body temperature by 1-2 degrees C may suffice to improve functional outcome in acute stroke patients, and such mild hypothermia should be tested in randomized controlled clinical trials.