Effect of Wet Clothing Removal Compared to Use of a Vapor Barrier in Accidental Hypothermia
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The optimal method of prehospital insulation and rewarming of hypothermic patients have been subject of debate, and there is a substantial lack og high-quality evidence to guide providers.
One question concerns whether or not the patients clothing should be removed prior to being wrapped in an insulating model with a vapor barrier. Evaporative heat loss is one of four mechanisms of heat loss, and preventing evaporative heat loss should be a prioritized task for providers. Removal of wet clothing usually means subjecting the patient to the environment, but will reduce the evaporative heat loss considerably. An other alternative is to encapsulate the patient in a vapor barrier. Evaporative heat loss will stop when the humidity inside the vapor barrier reaches 100%.
We aim to investigate whether it is recommended to removed wet clothing or encase the patient in a vapor barrier.
Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
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|
N/A |
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
---|---|
Active Comparator: Wet clothing removal
|
Procedure: Wet clothing removal
The participants in the intervention group will have their clothing removed prior to insulation.
|
No Intervention: Vapor barrier
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Mean skin temperature [60 minutes]
Change in mean skin temperature during rewarming phase
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Subjective thermal comfort and shivering [60 minutes]
Using a validated questionnaire at regular intervals
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Age <18
-
American Society of Anaesthesiologists class 1
-
No nicotine use
Exclusion Criteria:
- Acute illness on study day, fever or malaise
Contacts and Locations
Locations
Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Haukeland University Hospital | Bergen | Norway |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Haukeland University Hospital
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Øyvind Thomassen, MD, PhD, Haukeland University Hospital
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 2017/150