International Registry of Accidental Hypothermia

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Study summary

Transient mild hypothermia (core body temperature 35-32°C) is common and usually without consequences for the brain or other organs. However, prolonged severe accidental hypothermia (core body temperature below 28°C) due to accidents is rare, and usually fatal in more than 50% of cases. Little is known on its physiopathology, on prognostic factors for rewarming decision or ideal rewarming techniques for better survival. Furthermore, complications after successful rewarming are extremely frequent and very often severe or fatal.

Accidental hypothermia is a frequent problem during the winter months and can be caused by snow sport accidents, near drowning and urban cold exposure. The International Hypothermia Registry's principle goal is to increase knowledge on accidental hypothermia by creating the largest database on accidental hypothermia which will comprise enough patient data to give a statistical power since the causes of accidental hypothermia and its treatment varies greatly.

The International Hypothermia Registry (IHR) will enable improvement of pre- and in-hospital treatment and rewarming methods, study survival predictors and prevention of post-rewarming complications. By this way, the IHR will permit the establishment of evidence-based diagnosis and treatment guidelines.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• The Registry is a questionnaire, containing 252 variables divided into a demographical, prehospital, hospital and outcome section. The collected measurement data will be registered on REDCap. — through study completion, an average of 1 year
  For every patient, the questionnaire on REDCap will be filled in. Demographical data contain age, weight, consent status, ... . Prehospital data include the prehospital temperature, the circumstances of the accident (drowning, avalanche, intoxication, ... ), the presence of cardiac arrest, the first heart rhythm, ... . Hospital data contain the rewarming mode, the complications after and during rewarming. Outcome data cover the cerebral performance category after hospitalisation. Every further study with their specific outcomes using the data of the International Hypothermia Registry will be registered separately on clinical trials.gov. The data that are necessary to answer the scientific question defined in further studies will be extracted from REDCap.

Trial sites (16)

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