Burns and Body Heat: A New Look at Survival

Burns are serious injuries that affect many people every year. One big problem with severe burns is how they mess with the body's temperature. Usually, doctors try to keep the body warm, aiming for a range between 37. 5 and 39. 5°C. They also watch the difference between the core body temperature and the temperature at the extremities, like hands and feet. This difference is called the core-peripheral temperature gap. Doctors thought a smaller gap was better, but new findings might change that idea. A study looked at 61 patients with severe burns who were in the ICU between 2016 and 2022. The results showed that patients who survived had a higher core-peripheral temperature gap at 48 hours. This means their core body temperature was higher than their temperature at the extremities. All patients who did not survive had a gap of less than 2°C at 48 hours. This finding is interesting because it goes against the previous belief that a smaller gap is better. The study also found that the core body temperature and the core-peripheral temperature gap increased over the first 48 hours. This increase was linked to a lower chance of dying. So, keeping the body warm and having a bigger temperature gap might actually help patients survive. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings. A larger group of patients would help to see if a bigger core-peripheral temperature gap really does predict better outcomes. It's important to note that avoiding hypothermia, or low body temperature, is still crucial. Previous studies have shown that keeping the body warm is linked to lower mortality rates. But the new findings add a twist. They suggest that maybe the core-peripheral temperature gap is also important. Maybe doctors should pay more attention to this gap when treating patients with severe burns. It could be a key factor in improving survival rates. This study opens up new questions. If a bigger temperature gap is better, why is that? What happens in the body that makes this difference? Understanding these questions could lead to better treatments for burn patients. It could also help doctors make more informed decisions. In the end, the goal is to save lives and improve outcomes for people with severe burns. This study is a step in that direction.