X-Message-Number: 32796
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:47:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: 
Subject: Clinical trial of a novel surface cooling system for fever co...

Cooling live patients is known to help prevent brain damage. I am not
aware of this sort of technology being used for treating terminal patents
interested in cryonics. Nonetheless, it still looks interesting, if a
little pricey.

Here's a nice picture illustrating the Cincinnati SubZero cooling system.
http://www.cszmedical.com/

Has anybody tried this inexpensive product?>>


http://www.coolingmattress.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=chilisingle&Category_Code=ChiliPad

Below is a head to head comparison of two expensive cooling systems. I'm
looking for cheaper alternative systems. In addition to cryonics
pretreatment, these sorts of devices may be useful for helping to
impliment radical life extending human hibernation. Thus far I have found
that by changing sleeping arrangements, body temperature can be altered
over a range of about 1 C. Arctic bowhead whales have a body temperature
of 33.6 C, which is about 3 C lower than that of other whales, as well as
humans. Bowhead maximum lifespan has been documented to be 211+ years,
which is much higher than that for other whales, as well as humans.

Crit Care Med. 2004 Dec;32(12):2508-15.

Clinical trial of a novel surface cooling system for fever control in 
neurocritical care patients.

Mayer SA, Kowalski RG, Presciutti M, Ostapkovich ND, McGann E, Fitzsimmons BF, 
Yavagal DR, Du YE, Naidech AM, Janjua NA, Claassen J, Kreiter KT, Parra A, 
Commichau C. Neurological Intensive Care Unit, Department of Neurology, College 
of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Comment in:
Crit Care Med. 2004 Dec;32(12):2558-60.
Crit Care Med. 2005 Aug;33(8):1890-1; author reply 1891.
Crit Care Med. 2005 Jul;33(7):1672.
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of a novel water-circulating surface cooling 
system with conventional measures for treating fever in neuro-intensive care 
unit patients.
DESIGN: Prospective, unblinded, randomized controlled trial.
SETTING: Neurologic intensive care unit in an urban teaching hospital.

PATIENTS: Forty-seven patients, the majority of whom were mechanically 
ventilated and sedated, with fever > or =38.3 degrees C for >2 consecutive hours
after receiving 650 mg of acetaminophen.

INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomly assigned to 24 hrs of treatment with a 
conventional water-circulating cooling blanket placed over the patient 
(Cincinnati SubZero, Cincinnati OH) or the Arctic Sun Temperature Management 
System (Medivance, Louisville CO), which employs hydrogel-coated 
water-circulating energy transfer pads applied directly to the trunk and thighs.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Diagnoses included subarachnoid hemorrhage (60%),
cerebral infarction (23%), intracerebral hemorrhage (11%), and traumatic brain 
injury (4%). The groups were matched in terms of baseline variables, although 
mean temperature was slightly higher at baseline in the Arctic Sun group (38.8 
vs. 38.3 degrees C, p = .046). Compared with patients treated with the SubZero 
blanket (n = 24), Arctic Sun-treated patients (n = 23) experienced a 75% 
reduction in fever burden (median 4.1 vs. 16.1 C degrees -hrs, p = .001). Arctic
Sun-treated patients also spent less percent time febrile (T > or =38.3 degrees
C, 8% vs. 42%, p < .001), spent more percent time normothermic (T < or =37.2 
degrees C, 59% vs. 3%, p < .001), and attained normothermia faster than the 
SubZero group median (2.4 vs. 8.9 hrs, p = .008). Shivering occurred more 
frequently in the Arctic Sun group (39% vs. 8%, p = .013).

CONCLUSION: The Arctic Sun Temperature Management System is superior to 
conventional cooling-blanket therapy for controlling fever in critically ill 
neurologic patients.
PMID: 15599159

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