The impact of hyperthermia and infection on acute ischemic stroke patients in the intensive care unit.
BACKGROUND
Despite the recognized deleterious effects of hyperthermia on critically ill neurological patients, few investigations have studied hyperthermia after an ischemic stroke in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting.


METHODS
Acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to the ICU were assigned to one of three groups: normothermia, mild hyperthermia (MH), or severe hyperthermia (SH). The etiology of hyperthermia was further divided into infectious and non-infectious groups.


RESULTS
Among the 150 patients included in the study, MH and SH were observed in 15 and 40 patients, respectively. Hyperthermia and the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score were independently related to in-hospital mortality and increased length of stay in the ICU (ILOS, > or =4 days).


CONCLUSIONS
Infection (39 patients) was more prevalent in the SH group than in the MH group and was associated with greater ILOS.


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring and managing infection and reducing body temperature may be important factors for determining the outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the ICU.
Seo
Woo-Keun
WK
Department of Neurology, Korea University College of Medicine at Guro Hospital, Seoul, 152-703, Korea.
Yu
Sung-Wook
SW
Kim
Ji Hyun
JH
Park
Kun-Woo
KW
Koh
Seong-Beom
SB
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy