Severe Hypothermia Increases the Risk for Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Infection

Abstract

Background. Although hypothermia is widely accepted as a risk factor for subsequent infection in surgical patients, it has not been well defined in medical patients. We sought to assess the risk of acquiring intensive care unit (ICU)--acquired infection after hypothermia among medical ICU patients. Methods. Adults (≥18 years) admitted to French ICUs for at least 2 days between April 2000 and November 2010 were included. Surgical patients were excluded. Patient were classified as having had mild hypothermia (35.0°C–35.9°C), moderate hypothermia (32°C–34.9°C), or severe hypothermia (Results. A total of 6237 patients were included. Within the first day of admission, 648 (10%) patients had mild hypothermia, 288 (5%) patients had moderate hypothermia, and 45 (1%) patients had severe hypothermia. Among the 5256 patients who did not have any hypothermia at day 1, subsequent hypothermia developed in 868 (17%), of which 673 (13%), 176 (3%), and 19 (Conclusions. The presence of severe hypothermia is a risk factor for development of ICU-acquired infection in medical patients.