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Comparison of peri‐operative core temperature in obese and non‐obese patients *
Author(s) -
Fernandes L. A.,
Braz L. G.,
Koga F. A.,
Kakuda C. M.,
Módolo N. S. P.,
de Carvalho L. R.,
Vianna P. T. G.,
Braz J. R. C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/anae.12002.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hypothermia , core temperature , body mass index , obesity , incidence (geometry) , core (optical fiber) , perioperative , thermoregulation , anesthesia , surgery , physics , materials science , optics , composite material
Summary Our aim was to compare peri‐operative core temperatures and the incidence of hypothermia in obese and non‐obese women with active forced‐air warming. Twenty female patients scheduled for abdominal surgery were allocated to two groups according to body mass index. Ten obese (30.0–34.9 kg.m −2 ) and 10 non‐obese (18.5–24.9 kg.m −2 ) women received forced‐air warming on their lower limbs. At the end of surgery, the mean (SD) core temperatures were 36.7 (0.5) °C in the obese group and 36.0 (0.6) °C in the non‐obese group (p < 0.001). Only in the non‐obese group was there a significant decrease in the intra‐operative core temperature values (p < 0.001). The incidences of intra‐operative hypothermia were lower in the obese group (10%) compared with non‐obese group (60%; p = 0.019). In the postoperative recovery phase, the mean (SD) core temperature data were higher in the obese group than in the non‐obese group (36.2 (0.4) vs 35.6 (0.5) °C, respectively (p < 0.001)). In conclusion, obese female patients have higher peri‐operative core temperature and a lower incidence of hypothermia compared with non‐obese female patients during abdominal surgery with active forced‐air warming.