Effect of shivering on brain tissue oxygenation during induced normothermia in patients with severe brain injury

Mauro Oddo, Suzanne Frangos, Eileen Maloney-Wilensky, W. Andrew Kofke, Peter D. Le Roux, Joshua M. Levine

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

92 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: We analyzed the impact of shivering on brain tissue oxygenation (PbtO2) during induced normothermia in patients with severe brain injury. Methods: We studied patients with severe brain injury who developed shivering during induced normothermia. Induced normothermia was applied to treat refractory fever (body temperature [BT] ≥ 38.3°C, refractory to conventional treatment) using a surface cooling device with computerized adjustment of patient BT target to 37 ± 0.5°C. PbtO2, intracranial pressure, mean arterial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, and BT were monitored continuously. Circulating water temperature of the device system was measured to assess the intensity of cooling. Results: Fifteen patients (10 with severe traumatic brain injury, 5 with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage) were treated with induced normothermia for an average of 5 ± 2 days. Shivering caused a significant decrease in PbtO2 levels both in SAH and TBI patients. Compared to baseline, shivering was associated with an overall reduction of PbtO2 from 34.1 ± 7.3 to 24.4 ± 5.5 mmHg (P < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between the magnitude of shivering-associated decrease of PbtO2 (ΔPbtO 2) and circulating water temperature (R = 0.82, P < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients with severe brain injury treated with induced normothermia, shivering was associated with a significant decrease of PbtO 2, which correlated with the intensity of cooling. Monitoring of therapeutic cooling with computerized thermoregulatory systems may help prevent shivering and optimize the management of induced normothermia. The clinical significance of shivering-induced decrease in brain tissue oxygenation remains to be determined.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)10-16
Number of pages7
JournalNeurocritical Care
Volume12
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
  • Clinical Neurology

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