This study was designed to determine the effects of pre-warming on core body temperature (CBT) and hemodynamics from the induction of spinal anesthesia until 30 min postoperatively in surgical patients who undergo total hip replacement under spinal anesthesia. Our goal was to assess postoperative shivering and inflammatory response.

Sixty-two surgical patients were recruited by informed notice. Data for this study were collected at a 1,300-bed university hospital in Incheon, South Korea from January 15 through November 15, 2013. Data on CBT, systemic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate were measured from arrival in the pre-anesthesia room to 3 hours after the induction of spinal anesthesia. Shivering was measured for 30 minutes post-operatively. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured pre-operatively, and 1 and 2 days postoperatively. The 62 patients were randomly allocated to an experimental group (EG), which underwent pre-warming for 30 minutes, or a control group (CG), which did not undergo pre-warming.

Analysis of CBT from induction of spinal anesthesia to 3 hours after induction revealed significant interaction between group and time (F=3.85, p=.008). In addition, the incidence of shivering in the EG was lower than that in the CG (χ²=6.15, p=.013). However, analyses of SBP, heart rate, CRP, and ESR did not reveal significant interaction between time and group.

Pre-warming for 30 minutes is effective in increasing CBT 2 and 3 hours after induction of spinal anesthesia. In addition, pre-warming is effective in decreasing post-operative shivering.

In this study an examination was done of the effects of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines on body temperature, shivering, thermal discomfort, and time to achieve normothermia in patients undergoing total knee replacement arthroplasty (TKRA) under spinal anesthesia.

This study was an experimental study with a randomized controlled trial design. Participants (n=60) were patients who underwent TKRA between December 2011 and March 2012. Experimental group (n=30) received active and passive warming measures as described in the ASPAN's guidelines. Control group (n=30) received traditional care. Body temperature, shivering, thermal discomfort, time to achieve normothermia were measured in both groups at 30 minute intervals.

Experimental group had slightly higher body temperature compared to control group (p=.002). Thermal discomfort was higher in the experimental group before surgery but higher in the control group after surgery (p=.034). It decreased after surgery (p=.041) in both groups. Time to achieve normothermia was shorter in the experimental group (p=.010).

ASPAN's guidelines provide guidance on measuring patient body temperature at regular intervals and on individualized and differentiated hypothermia management which can be very useful in nursing care, particularly in protecting patient safety and improving quality of nursing.