Temperature management in the intensive care unit: a practical survey from China

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Temperature management is an important aspect of the treatment of critically ill patients, but there are differences in the measurement and management of temperature in different Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The objective of this study was to understand the current situation of temperature measurement and management in ICUs in China, and to provide a basis for standardized temperature management in ICUs.

Methods: A 20-question survey was used to gather information on temperature management strategies from ICUs across China. Data such as method and frequency of temperature measurement, management goals, cooling measures, and temperature management recommendations were collected.

Results: A total of 425 questionnaires from unique ICUs were included in the study, with responses collected from all provinces and autonomous regions in China. Mercury thermometers were the most widely used measurement tool (82.39%) and the axilla was the most common measurement site (96.47%). There was considerable variability in the frequency of temperature measurement, the temperature at which intervention should begin, intervention duration, and temperature management goals. While there was no clearly preferred drug-based cooling method, the most widely used equipment-based cooling method was the ice blanket machine (93.18%). The most frequent recommendations for promoting temperature management were continuous monitoring and targeted management.

Conclusion: Our investigation revealed a high level of variability in the methods of temperature measurement and management among ICUs in China. Since fever is a common clinical symptom in critically ill patients and can lead to prolonged ICU stays, we propose that standardized guidelines are urgently needed for the management of body temperature (BT) in these patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Body temperature
• critical care
• fever
• management
• survey

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

XS was involved in the conceptualization, planning and design of the project, and in the development and execution of the survey. LM,CFW, and XL designed the questionnaire, drafted the initial manuscript, reviewed and revised the manuscript. YB, KZ and YY performed the data collection, statistical analysis and assisted in drafting and revising the manuscript. CTW assisted in the execution of the survey and assisted in the development of the manuscript. All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved of this submission.

Availability of data and materials

The data and materials used or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The questionnaire and methodology for this study were deemed exempt by the Institutional Ethics Review Board of Shandong Provincial Hospital, as it is a survey research. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 82102274) and Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (Grant ZR202102210272), Taishan Scholars Foundation of Shandong Province (Grant tsqn202211347) and Shandong Provincial Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant SDCX-ZG-202202025). The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.