Table 1 A summary of the relevant findings in the selected articles included in our review
Article ID | Aetiology | Temp. | Case description | AER Intervention | Complication | Quality score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coopwood et al. 1974 [15] | Outdoor exposure, overnight | 25 °C, rec | Male, 70 y; responsive to pain, unobtainable BP | Electric blanket | Initial increase in BP and Trec, then sudden drop in Trec and BP - > VF - > † | 17 / 30 CARE |
Strapazzon et al. 2012 [16] | Avalanche burial, 2 h | 25 °C, tymp | Male, 42 y; GCS 10, breathing, palpable radial | Forced air warming | Atrial fibrillation Pulmonary oedema Hypotension Hypoglycaemia | 21 / 30 CARE |
Emslie-Smith et al. 1958 [17] | Outdoor exposure, unknown duration | 33 °C, rec | Female, 64 y; stupor, breathing, hypothyroidism | Electric blanket | Coma, hypotension Bronchopneumonia Death | 14 / 30 CARE |
Article ID | Mean age | Mean temp | AER modality | Number of patients AER (Mortality in %) | Number of patients PER (Mortality in %) | Quality score |
Duguid et al. 1961 [18] | 75.3 years | 26.5 °C, rec | Not specified | 6 (100%) | 17 (58.8%) | 8 / 22 STROBE |
Article ID | Number of subjects (# treated with AER) | Temp | AER Modality | AER mortality (PER Mortality) | Comments | Quality score |
Fruehan, 1960 [19] | 8 (4) | Mean: 24.4 °C, reca | Not explicitly stated | 100% (75%) | 4 pt. treated with some form of AER, all died; 4 pt. treated with PER, 1 survived | 12 / 22 STROBE |
O’Keeffe 1973 [20] | 62 (1) | Below 30 °C | Immersion in hot bath | 100% (9.8%) | 1 pt. treated with rapid rewarming by immersion, cardiac arrest immediately after rewarming | 13 / 22 STORBE |
Article ID | Timespan of data collection | Overall mortality | Number of cases (AER, PER, Internal) | Mortality of patients treated with AER | Mortality of patients treated with PER | Quality score |
Gregory et al. 1973 [21] | 1951–1972 | 48.8% | 201 (73, 121, 7) | 60.3% | 44.6% | – |
Article ID | Description | |||||
Moricheau-Beaupré, 1826 [22] | The writings of Napoleon’s regimental surgeon from the Russian campaign in 1812: “The like holds of general as of local asphyxia; we must not, in avoiding the danger from cold, transport the body into a heated place, or immediately apply to it warm substances; too strong reaction might exhaust the remaining vitality; the dilatation of the tissues and rapid expansion of the forces towards the surface, owing to sudden transition from cold and condensed to warm and rarefied air, causing shooting pains, dyspnoea, suffocation, and death.” | |||||