Abstract
In this issue of Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management two expert panel discussions are included that resulted from presentations during our 2019 Therapeutic Hypothermia and Targeted Temperature Management Symposium in Miami. One expert panel discussion summarized unique uses of cooling strategies in several patient populations, including respiratory disease syndrome, critically ill trauma patients, and temperature effects on drug metabolism. This panel discussion was monitored by Dr. Michael Kurz and Drs. Kees Polderman, Gretchen Brophy, and Byron Drumheller participated by providing state-of-the art presentations. In another expert panel discussion, the use of targeted temperature management (TTM) in nursing care was discussed and included best practices for establishing and managing TTM programs in hospitals and an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program from a nursing perspective. Another interesting discussion focused on a patient perspective who was treated with hypothermia. This session was moderated by Dr. Gretchen Brophy and included presentations by David Hildebrandt, Elizabeth Moore, and Todd Van de Bussche.
In addition to these expert panel discussions, original articles are included in this issue. Dr. Thomas Kander and colleagues present a post hoc analysis of the targeted temperature trial in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients reporting no associated increase and incidence of bleeding when TTM at 33°C was compared with TTM at 36°C. Dr. Pascal Udekwu and colleagues examined the relationship between clinical predictors, therapeutic hypothermia, and neurological outcomes in near hanging victims treated with therapeutic hypothermia to assist in decisions for the utilization of this therapy. Dr. Seung Joon Ryoo and colleagues provided new information on a perspective registry-based retrospective observation study to determine risk factors for predicting bacterial infection in hypothermic patients who survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In a preclinical study, Dr. Go Nagasaki and colleagues report on an investigation to determine whether modest hypothermia of 35°C provides sustained histological and behavioral protection after transient forebrain ischemia in rats. In another clinical prospective investigation, the relationships between surface body temperature and core body temperature in comatose survivors is reported by Dr. Andrej Markota and colleagues. Dr. Shingo Ihara and colleagues summarize the results of a prospective observational study to assess the influence of amplitude-integrated electroencephalopathy and regional oxygen saturation for postcardiac arrest syndrome under temperature management. Each of these original articles will be of interest to the readership of the journal as they provide new information regarding this important topic. Finally, a case report by Dr. Lisa Mader and colleagues presents preliminary results on a series of three patients with severe subarachnoid hemorrhage who were treated with TTM.
Again, we thank the authors for their important contributions as well as the editorial board for their critical support in reviewing these important articles in a timely manner.