title: Comparing the effectiveness of two types of cooling blankets for febrile patients.
abstract: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of airflow- and waterflow-cooling blankets for febrile patients in intensive care unit. More patients in the airflow than in the waterflow-cooling blanket group reached the desired temperature of <38 degrees C at the end of 8h (94.1 versus 60.0%, chi2=2.86, P=0.047). Patients in the airflow blanket group also took less time than those in the waterflow blanket group to achieve the desired temperature (3.1 and 5.7h, respectively, U=2.00, P<0.001). These findings suggest that the airflow blanket is the cooling blanket of choice for febrile patients when external cooling is needed.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. hsaloke@polyu.edu.hk
authors.forename: Alice Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Loke
authors.forename: Helen C L
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tony M F
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000388:Air; D001365:Axilla; D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000592:standards*; D001831:Body Temperature; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000451:nursing; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water