Review: mild induced hypothermia does not reduce mortality or severe disability in moderate to severe head injury
Q Does mild induced hypothermia reduce mortality and improve long term function in patients with moderate to severe head injury?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Cochrane Injuries Group Specialised Register, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (all to 2001); hand searches of conference proceedings and reference lists of relevant trials and review articles; and investigators in the field.
Study selection and assessment:
randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared mild therapeutic hypothermia (local or systemic therapeutic cooling [using a fluid filled cooling blanket, a “Bear Hugger” air cooling device, ice water lavage, or combination, or other method] to a target temperature ⩽34–35°C for ⩾12 hours beginning on admission to the intensive care unit or when intracranial pressure [ICP] became uncontrollable by conventional management) with control (open or normothermia) in patients with any closed head injury requiring hospital admission. Individual study quality was assessed based on allocation concealment and blinding …
