title: The effect of environmental temperature on resting metabolic rate and respiratory quotient following elective surgery.
abstract: Twenty male patients undergoing routine elective abdominal surgery of moderate severity nursed at either 20 or 28 degrees C had indirect calorimetry carried out on a control day pre-operatively and for the first four post-operative days. The mean resting metabolic rate over the four post-operative days was significantly elevated by 9% above control value. This increase was maximal on post-operative day 1 (13%). Respiratory quotient fell over four days of the post-operative period indicating that a greater proportion of energy was being derived from body fat stores. Nursing at different environmental temperatures did not affect these responses.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G4 0SF, Scotland.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Goll
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Carter