1. Deep accidental hypothermia with core temperature below 24°c presenting with vital signs.
- Author
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Pasquier M, Zurron N, Weith B, Turini P, Dami F, Carron PN, and Paal P
- Subjects
- Alcoholic Intoxication complications, Blood Pressure, Extracorporeal Circulation, Female, Humans, Hypothermia etiology, Middle Aged, Oxygen blood, Body Temperature, Hypothermia physiopathology, Hypothermia therapy, Rewarming
- Abstract
Background: According to the Swiss hypothermia clinical staging, patients with stage III are unconscious with preserved vital signs, with core temperature usually between 24° and 28°C. With stage IV, vital signs are absent with core temperature <24°C., Aims: To describe a patient presenting with HT stage III with vital signs but a core temperature of <24°C, and to search for similar patients in the medical literature., Materials and Methods: MEDLINE was used to search for cases of deep accidental hypothermia (<24°C) and preserved vital signs., Results: We found 22 cases in addition to our case (n=23). Median age was 44 years (IQR 36; range 4-83) and median core temperature 22°C (IQR 1.7; 17-23.8). Vital signs were often minimal. Seven patients developed ventricular fibrillation (VF). Twenty patients survived with excellent neurological outcome., Conclusions: Vital signs can be present in hypothermic patients with core temperature <24°C. In deeply hypothermic patients, a careful check and prolonged check of vital functions should be made, as vital signs may be minimal. The clinical Swiss staging remains valuable in the prehospital evaluation of hypothermic patients; its correlation with core temperature should be better defined.
- Published
- 2014
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