title: Facts and fiction: the impact of hypothermia on molecular mechanisms following major challenge.
abstract: Numerous multiple trauma and surgical patients suffer from accidental hypothermia. While induced hypothermia is commonly used in elective cardiac surgery due to its protective effects, accidental hypothermia is associated with increased posttraumatic complications and even mortality in severely injured patients. This paper focuses on protective molecular mechanisms of hypothermia on apoptosis and the posttraumatic immune response. Although information regarding severe trauma is limited, there is evidence that induced hypothermia may have beneficial effects on the posttraumatic immune response as well as apoptosis in animal studies and certain clinical situations. However, more profound knowledge of mechanisms is necessary before randomized clinical trials in trauma patients can be initiated.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Department, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Michaelfrink@web.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frink
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Flohé
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Griensven
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mommsen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications