A prospective multi-center study comparing the complication profile of modest systemic hypothermia versus normothermia for acute cervical spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Prospective multi-center trial.

Objectives: To characterize the complication profile associated with modest systemic hypothermia after acute cervical SCI in a prospective multi-center study.

Setting: Five trauma centers in the United States.

Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective, multi-center trial on the use of modest systemic hypothermia for acute cervical SCI. Patients with acute cervical SCI were assigned to receive modest systemic hypothermia (33 C) or standard of care medical treatment. Patients in the hypothermia group were cooled to 33 C and maintained at the target temperature for 48 h. Complication profile and the rate of complications within the first 6 weeks after injury were compared between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors for complications after injury.

Results: Fifty patients (hypothermia: 27, control: 23) were analyzed for this study. Median age was significantly lower in the hypothermia arm (39 vs 59 years, p = 0.02). Respiratory complications were the most common (hypothermia: 55.6% vs control: 52.2%, p = 0.81). The rate of deep vein thrombosis was not significantly different between the two groups (hypothermia: 14.8% vs control 17.4%, p = 0.71). The rate of complications was not statistically different between the two groups.

Conclusion: In this prospective multi-center controlled trial, preliminary data show that modest systemic hypothermia was not associated with increased risk of complications within the first 6 weeks after acute cervical SCI.

Trial Information: The study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov NCT02991690. University of Miami IRB (Central IRB) approval No.: 20160758. Emory University IRB #IRB00093786.