Publication at First Faculty of Medicine |
2013
Abstract
BackgroundUnconscious survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have a high risk of death or poor neurologic function. Therapeutic hypothermia is recommended by international guidelines, but the supporting evidence is limited, and the target temperature associated with the best outcome is unknown.
Our objective was to compare two target temperatures, both intended to prevent fever. MethodsIn an international trial, we randomly assigned 950 unconscious adults after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of presumed cardiac cause to targeted temperature management at either 33 degrees C or 36 degrees C.