Targeted Temperature Management at 35°C vs. 37°C for Heatstroke in ICU: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Crit Care MedAug 6, 2026 (epub)
Yu-Cong Wang, Jian-Wen Wang, Xu Li et al.
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In 30 seconds
This pilot multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluated targeted temperature management (TTM) at 35°C versus 37°C in 35 intubated heatstroke patients in ICUs across China. The study found no significant differences in 28-day functional outcomes or survival rates, but therapeutic hypothermia was linked to higher rates of severe gastrointestinal injury (52.9% vs. 0%) and arrhythmias (41.2% vs. 11.1%).
Key findings
- No significant difference in 28-day poor functional outcome (17.6% vs. 16.7%) between groups.
- Survival rates were similar: 82.4% in hypothermia vs. 83.3% in normothermia.
- Therapeutic hypothermia resulted in 52.9% severe gastrointestinal injury compared to 0% in normothermia.
- The lytic cocktail was needed in 100% of hypothermia patients versus 27.8% in the normothermia group.
Why it matters
The findings highlight potential safety concerns with therapeutic hypothermia in heatstroke management, particularly regarding gastrointestinal injury and arrhythmias, which may influence treatment protocols in critical care settings.