PLoS ONE (Jan 2017)

Fever Is Associated with Reduced, Hypothermia with Increased Mortality in Septic Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.

  • Zoltan Rumbus,
  • Robert Matics,
  • Peter Hegyi,
  • Csaba Zsiboras,
  • Imre Szabo,
  • Anita Illes,
  • Erika Petervari,
  • Marta Balasko,
  • Katalin Marta,
  • Alexandra Miko,
  • Andrea Parniczky,
  • Judit Tenk,
  • Ildiko Rostas,
  • Margit Solymar,
  • Andras Garami

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170152
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
p. e0170152

Abstract

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BACKGROUND:Sepsis is usually accompanied by changes of body temperature (Tb), but whether fever and hypothermia predict mortality equally or differently is not fully clarified. We aimed to find an association between Tb and mortality in septic patients with meta-analysis of clinical trials. METHODS:We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry databases (from inception to February 2016). Human studies reporting Tb and mortality of patients with sepsis were included in the analyses. Average Tb with SEM and mortality rate of septic patient groups were extracted by two authors independently. RESULTS:Forty-two studies reported Tb and mortality ratios in septic patients (n = 10,834). Pearson correlation analysis revealed weak negative linear correlation (R2 = 0.2794) between Tb and mortality. With forest plot analysis, we found a 22.2% (CI, 19.2-25.5) mortality rate in septic patients with fever (Tb > 38.0°C), which was higher, 31.2% (CI, 25.7-37.3), in normothermic patients, and it was the highest, 47.3% (CI, 38.9-55.7), in hypothermic patients (Tb 75%).