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Effect of Wet Clothing Removal Compared to Use of a Vapor Barrier in Accidental Hypothermia

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Accidental Hypothermia
Emergencies
Interventions
Procedure: Wet clothing removal
Registration Number
NCT05996757
Lead Sponsor
Haukeland University Hospital
Brief Summary

The optimal method of prehospital insulation and rewarming of hypothermic patients have been subject of debate, and there is a substantial lack og high-quality evidence to guide providers.

One question concerns whether or not the patients clothing should be removed prior to being wrapped in an insulating model with a vapor barrier. Evaporative heat loss is one of four mechanisms of heat loss, and preventing evaporative heat loss should be a prioritized task for providers. Removal of wet clothing usually means subjecting the patient to the environment, but will reduce the evaporative heat loss considerably. An other alternative is to encapsulate the patient in a vapor barrier. Evaporative heat loss will stop when the humidity inside the vapor barrier reaches 100%.

We aim to investigate whether it is recommended to removed wet clothing or encase the patient in a vapor barrier.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
8
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age <18
  • American Society of Anaesthesiologists class 1
  • No nicotine use
Exclusion Criteria
  • Acute illness on study day, fever or malaise

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Wet clothing removalWet clothing removal-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Mean skin temperature60 minutes

Change in mean skin temperature during rewarming phase

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Subjective thermal comfort and shivering60 minutes

Using a validated questionnaire at regular intervals

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Haukeland University Hospital

🇳🇴

Bergen, Norway

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