ACCIDENTAL HYPOTHERMIA AND RELATED RISK FACTORS AMONG TRAUMA PATIENTS IN PREHOSPITAL SETTING.

INTRODUCTION: Hypothermia is highly prevalent among trauma patients. If hypothermia is diagnosed and managed early, complications from hypothermia can be reduced. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of accidental hypothermia and related factors in prehospital trauma patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a single-center prospective observational study. From 2 to 16 November 2018, 132 trauma patients were selected by convenience sampling. To collect data, the patient's core body temperature (CBT) and the temperature of the ambulance cabin were measured as the patient left the ambulance. A combination of observation and emergency medical technician records was used to identify factors influencing hypothermia onset or exacerbation. SPSS 16 was used to analyze the data using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. A significance level of 5% was considered. RESULTS: It was calculated that 44.1% of prehospital trauma patients had accidental hypothermia. The predicting variables for accidental hypothermia in trauma patients were found to be level of consciousness (OR = 2.19, p < 0.049), pulse rate (OR = 1.04, p < 0.02), and ambient cabin temperature (OR = 1.32, p < 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: At the time of hospital admission, a significant number of trauma patients were hypothermic. This study emphasizes the need for identifying unintentional hypothermia in trauma patients early on during the pre-hospital stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]