A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of airflow- and waterflow-cooling blankets for febrile patients in intensive care unit. More patients in the airflow than in the waterflow-cooling blanket group reached the desired temperature of <38 degrees C at the end of 8h (94.1 versus 60.0%, chi2=2.86, P=0.047). Patients in the airflow blanket group also took less time than those in the waterflow blanket group to achieve the desired temperature (3.1 and 5.7h, respectively, U=2.00, P<0.001). These findings suggest that the airflow blanket is the cooling blanket of choice for febrile patients when external cooling is needed.
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. hsaloke@polyu.edu.hk
Nurs Crit Care. 2005 Sep 1;10(5):247-54.
AbstractA randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of airflow- and waterflow-cooling blankets for febrile patients in intensive care unit. More patients in the airflow than in the waterflow-cooling blanket group reached the desired temperature of <38 degrees C at the end of 8h (94.1 versus 60.0%, chi2=2.86, P=0.047). Patients in the airflow blanket group also took less time than those in the waterflow blanket group to achieve the desired temperature (3.1 and 5.7h, respectively, U=2.00, P<0.001). These findings suggest that the airflow blanket is the cooling blanket of choice for febrile patients when external cooling is needed.