Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Hypothermia in the intensive care unit after surgery: a registry based retrospective cohort study
Main findingResult — go to the resultAdjusted odds ratio 1.34 95% CI 1.28–1.39Authors' conclusion
In this retrospective cohort study we report that ostoperative hypothermia in the ICU setting is common in Austrailia and New Zealand and was associated with an increased mortality rate.
Study context
- Population
- Postoperative noncardiac surgical ICU admissions, Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society adult patient database, 2018–2023
- Participants
- 425,648 postoperative ICU admissions
- Exposure
- Hypothermia vs normothermia in the first 24 h of ICU admission
- Hypothermian = 165,111
- Outcome
- In-hospital mortality
Methodological detailsregistry based, multivariable logistic regression
- Registry based
- Multivariable logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Adjusted odds ratio
1.34
95% CI 1.28–1.39
By group
Hypothermia vs Normothermia
aOR 1.34 (95% CI 1.28–1.39)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
In-hospital mortality, 32-32.9°C group
| aOR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 32-32.9°C | 3.03 (2.30–4.00) | |
| 0.20.5125Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
- In-hospital mortality, 32-32.9°C group: highest mortality rate; mortality increased with lower temperatures
ICU readmission, hospital and ICU LOS
- Similar between groups
Original publication
Hypothermia in the intensive care unit after surgery: a registry based retrospective cohort study. BJA Open. Published 13 August 2026. doi:10.
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