Neuroanaesthesia & neurocritical care
Temperature control in acute brain injury
Authors' conclusion
Temperature control is a fundamental component of care aimed at protecting the injured brain through continuous monitoring, early detection of fever, and prevention of temperature-related harm.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with acute brain injury (TBI, acute vascular brain injury, post-cardiac arrest encephalopathy) in neurocritical care
- Outcome
- Temperature management in acute brain injury
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Fever consistently associated with worse neurological outcomes
- TBI: hypothermia reduces ICP but does not improve functional outcome when prophylactic; reserved for refractory intracranial hypertension
- Acute vascular brain injury: neutral trials and feasibility constraints shifted practice toward early detection and treatment of fever rather than hypothermia
- Post-cardiac arrest: guidelines recommend protocolised temperature control with a constant target between 32°C and 37.5°C and active fever prevention, rather than mandatory hypothermia
Original publication
Temperature control in acute brain injury. Intensive Care Med. Published 20 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →