Traumatic hypothermia is related to hypotension, not resuscitation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether posttraumatic hypothermia is associated with hemorrhage or with resuscitation.


METHODS
We used a sequential hemorrhage-resuscitation rat model. Rats were subjected to hemorrhage (30 mL/kg), then 1 hour of shock, followed by 2:1 crystalloid/blood resuscitation (60 mL/kg) at ambient temperature. A control group underwent neither hemorrhage nor resuscitation.


RESULTS
We recorded core temperature and blood pressure every 10 minutes. Temperature drop averaged 3.4 degrees C and was fastest during hypotensive shock. Rate of temperature change correlated with blood pressure (beta = .0102, P < .001), shock phase (beta = .4504, P = .041), and blood pressure during shock phase (beta = .0116, P < .001), but not with resuscitation phase or with duration of shock or resuscitation. Three of 14 rats died during shock, none during resuscitation. An increase in temperature was noted in 1 of 14 rats during shock and in 7 of 11 rats during resuscitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Hemorrhage-associated hypothermia occurs during hypotensive shock, not during fluid resuscitation.
Bergstein
J M
JM
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
Slakey
D P
DP
Wallace
J R
JR
Gottlieb
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001831:Body Temperature; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000209:etiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012771:Shock, Hemorrhagic / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications*