title: Is body temperature an independent predictor of mortality in  hip fracture patients?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Admission body temperature is a critical parameter in all trauma patients. Low admission temperature is strongly associated with adverse outcomes. We have previously shown, in a prospective study that low admission body temperature is common and associated with high mortality in hip fracture patients (Uzoigwe et al., 2014). However, no previous studies have evaluated whether admission temperature is an independent predictor of mortality in hip fracture patients after adjustment for the 7 recognised independent prognostic indicators (Maxwell et al., 2008).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively collated data on all patients presenting to our institution between June 2011 and February 2013 with a hip fracture. This included patients involved in the original prospective study (Uzoigwe et al., 2014). Admission tympanic temperature, measured on initial presentation at triage, was recorded. The prognosticators of age, gender, source of admission, abbreviated mental test score, haemoglobin, co-morbid disease and the presence or absence of malignancy were also recorded. Using multiple logistic regression, adjustment was made for these potentially confounding prognostic indicators of 30-day mortality, to determine if admission low body temperature were independently linked to mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1066 patients were included. 781 patients, involved in the original prospective study (Uzoigwe et al., 2014), presented in the relevant time frame and were included in the retrospective study. The mean age was 81. There were 273 (26%) men and 793 (74%) women. 407 (38%) had low body temperature (<36.5 °C). Adjustment was made for age, gender, source of admission, abbreviated mental test score, haemoglobin, co-morbid disease and the presence or absence of malignancy. Those with low body temperature had an adjusted odds ratio of 30-day mortality that was 2.1 times that of the euthermic (36.5–37.5 °C).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low body temperature is strongly and independently associated with 30-day mortality in hip fracture patients.
authors.forename: Murtuza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faizi
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Farrier
authors.forename: Murali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Chika Edward
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Uzoigwe
authors.forename: Siva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001831:Body Temperature; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom