The effect of environmental temperature on resting metabolic rate and respiratory quotient following elective surgery.
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.
Harris
N W
NW
University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G4 0SF, Scotland.
Goll
C C
CC
Sim
A J
AJ
Richards
J R
JR
Carter
D C
DC