The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/Objectives: Hypothermia can affect multiple organ systems and reduce patient comfort and is an independent predictor of mortality in trauma patients. Early prevention and management prehospitally is critical and can be approached by “warming” patients using active and/or passive measures....

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Main Authors: Lauren Johnstone, Zubair Ahmed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Trauma Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-866X/4/4/26
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author Lauren Johnstone
Zubair Ahmed
author_facet Lauren Johnstone
Zubair Ahmed
author_sort Lauren Johnstone
collection DOAJ
description Background/Objectives: Hypothermia can affect multiple organ systems and reduce patient comfort and is an independent predictor of mortality in trauma patients. Early prevention and management prehospitally is critical and can be approached by “warming” patients using active and/or passive measures. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to determine the efficacy of prehospital active warming (AW) in trauma patients. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and CENTRAL were searched up to June 2024 for studies meeting our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Six studies were identified: four randomised controlled trials (RCTs), a non-randomised trial and an observational study. A risk-of-bias assessment was conducted using either the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool or the ROBINS-I tool. Results: For the primary outcome of end core body temperature (CBT), our meta-analysis calculated a statistically significant mean difference of 0.62 °C ([95%CI: 0.17, 1.07], <i>p</i> = 0.007), favouring AW. For the secondary outcomes of end heart rate and end systolic blood pressure, the mean differences favoured the AW and control groups, respectively, but were not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.45 and <i>p</i> = 0.64). Two of the four RCTs had an overall moderate to high risk of bias, whilst the two observational studies had a high risk of bias. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that AW may be effective at managing CBT, but our results are limited by a small sample size, a serious/high overall risk of bias and variable study characteristics. Larger, high-quality studies are needed to inform clinical practice and guidelines.
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spelling doaj-art-a7f753588713498eba2a0b06f3512e502024-12-27T14:57:05ZengMDPI AGTrauma Care2673-866X2024-11-014431232810.3390/traumacare4040026The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisLauren Johnstone0Zubair Ahmed1Department of Inflammation and Ageing, School of Infection, Inflammation & Immunology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKDepartment of Inflammation and Ageing, School of Infection, Inflammation & Immunology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKBackground/Objectives: Hypothermia can affect multiple organ systems and reduce patient comfort and is an independent predictor of mortality in trauma patients. Early prevention and management prehospitally is critical and can be approached by “warming” patients using active and/or passive measures. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to determine the efficacy of prehospital active warming (AW) in trauma patients. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and CENTRAL were searched up to June 2024 for studies meeting our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Six studies were identified: four randomised controlled trials (RCTs), a non-randomised trial and an observational study. A risk-of-bias assessment was conducted using either the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool or the ROBINS-I tool. Results: For the primary outcome of end core body temperature (CBT), our meta-analysis calculated a statistically significant mean difference of 0.62 °C ([95%CI: 0.17, 1.07], <i>p</i> = 0.007), favouring AW. For the secondary outcomes of end heart rate and end systolic blood pressure, the mean differences favoured the AW and control groups, respectively, but were not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.45 and <i>p</i> = 0.64). Two of the four RCTs had an overall moderate to high risk of bias, whilst the two observational studies had a high risk of bias. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that AW may be effective at managing CBT, but our results are limited by a small sample size, a serious/high overall risk of bias and variable study characteristics. Larger, high-quality studies are needed to inform clinical practice and guidelines.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-866X/4/4/26active warminghypothermiacore body temperatureprehospital
spellingShingle Lauren Johnstone
Zubair Ahmed
The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Trauma Care
active warming
hypothermia
core body temperature
prehospital
title The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_full The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_fullStr The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_full_unstemmed The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_short The Efficacy of Active Warming in Prehospital Trauma Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_sort efficacy of active warming in prehospital trauma care a systematic review and meta analysis
topic active warming
hypothermia
core body temperature
prehospital
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-866X/4/4/26
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