Journal of clinical anesthesia
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Moderate hypothermia (e.g., 34.5 °C) causes surgical site infections, but it remains unknown whether mild hypothermia (34.6 °C-35.9 °C) causes infection. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between intraoperative time-weighted average core temperature and a composite of serious wound and systemic infections in adults having colorectal surgery over a range of near-normal temperatures. ⋯ Below 35.5 °C, hypothermia was associated with increased risk of serious infectious complications. Why composite complications increased at higher temperatures remains unclear, but the highest temperatures may reflect febrile patients who had pre-existing infections. Avoiding time-weighted average core temperatures <35.5 °C appears prudent from an infection perspective, but higher temperatures may be needed to prevent other hypothermia-related complications.