Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia During Severe Sepsis

Mild Therapeutic hypothermia was induced immediately after patient inclusion. Patients were cooled between 32 and 34°c (33 ± 1°C; 90 and 93°F) for 36 hours, using the automatic mode of an external water cooling blanket (Meditherm II®, Gaymar, Orchard Park, NY, USA). The machine constantly compares actual patient temperature (measured by a rectal probe) with the set point, and automatically adjusts the blanket water temperature so that the desired patient temperature is achieved. The target temperature was to be reached within eight hour following inclusion. Rewarming was only passive (blanket switched off), and paralytic agents were to be stopped when the body temperature reached back 36°C (97°F).