Physical methods for the treatment of fever in critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial

Authors

  • Patrícia de Oliveira Salgado Universidade Federal de Viçosa
  • Ludmila Christiane Rosa da Silva Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Escola de Enfermagem
  • Priscila Marinho Aleixo Silva Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Escola de Enfermagem
  • Tânia Couto Machado Chianca Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Escola de Enfermagem

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0080-623420160000600016

Keywords:

Fever, Critical Care Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing, Evaluation of Results of Therapeutic Interventions, Intensive Care Units

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of physical methods of reducing body temperature (ice pack and warm compression) in critically ill patients with fever. METHOD A randomized clinical trial involving 102 adult patients with tympanic temperature ≥ 38.3°C of an infectious focus, and randomized into three groups: Intervention I - ice pack associated with antipyretic; Intervention II - warm compress associated with antipyretic; and Control - antipyretic. Tympanic temperature was measured at 15 minute intervals for 3 hours. The effect of the interventions was evaluated through the Mann-Whitney test and Survival Analysis. "Effect size" calculation was carried out. RESULTS Patients in the intervention groups I and II presented greater reduction in body temperature. The group of patients receiving intervention I presented tympanic temperature below 38.3°C at 45 minutes of monitoring, while the value for control group was lower than 38.3°C starting at 60 minutes, and those who received intervention II had values lower than 38.3°C at 75 minutes of monitoring. CONCLUSION No statistically significant difference was found between the interventions, but with the intervention group I patients showed greater reduction in tympanic temperature compared to the other groups. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-2k3kbq

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Published

2016-10-01

Issue

Section

Original Article

How to Cite

Salgado, P. de O., Silva, L. C. R. da, Silva, P. M. A., & Chianca, T. C. M. (2016). Physical methods for the treatment of fever in critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial. Revista Da Escola De Enfermagem Da USP, 50(5), 823-830. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0080-623420160000600016