Analysis of the Risk Factors for the Onset of Postoperative Hypothermia in the Postanesthesia Care Unit.

Abstract Purpose Recent studies on hypothermia typically focused on a single anesthesia method or a particular surgical procedure. Although there are multiple risk factors leading to hypothermia, such as the use of cold solutions or nonhumidified and nonheated anesthetic gases, few studies have reported the incidence of postoperative hypothermia among patients in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Design This is a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgery and were admitted to the PACU immediately after surgery at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, from September 2018 to March 2019. Methods Patient data were collected and analyzed in two groups to understand the factors affecting the occurrence of hypothermia. Hypothermia was defined as a core temperature of less than 36°C. On the basis of body temperature, patients in the PACU were divided into hypothermic and nonhypothermic groups. Factors influencing hypothermia were studied by the univariate method, followed by logistic regression analysis to identify the risk factors for hypothermia onset. Findings Of a total of 1,788 patients were enrolled in the study, 113 (6.32%) exhibited hypothermia ( Conclusions Significant risk factors for the onset of hypothermia were general anesthesia and higher American Society of Anesthesiologists grade. However, epidural anesthesia was found to have a protective effect.