Acetaminophen Induced Transient Hypothermia in Pediatrics Population Undergoing General Anesthesia; a Double Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Perioperative hypothermia has been strongly associated with poor outcomes in children undergoing general anesthesia. Methods: This study consisted of a monocentric, block randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial over a period of 3 months at a tertiary referral center. Non-febrile patients with no significant medical history younger than 3 years and having surgery for a minimum duration of one hour under General Anesthesia were chosen. Thirty minutes prior to emergence, patients received either IV Acetaminophen (Group P) or a placebo solution of normal saline (Group N). The temperature was recorded at T0, T15, T30, T45 and T60 intervals. Results: 60 out of 84 patients were enrolled, the sample consisted of 58.3% (n=35) males and 41.7% (n=25) females with a mean age 1.16 ± 0.92 years. When using a t test to compare the mean core temperature, at a 95% Confidence Interval and ±=0.05, data showed that in Group P (35.52 ±0.68 oC < 36°C) and in Group N (36.07 ±0.71 oC > 36°C) were significantly different at T30 (p<0.005). A similar significance was observed at T45 yet not at T60. Conclusion: Acetaminophen seems to have induced a significant transient hypothermia at T30 in the pediatric population, which coincides in this study with the critical time of emergence. At T60, no significant difference was observed, suggesting that patients’ core body temperature values returned to normality. Therefore, it is recommended to administer Acetaminophen at least 60 minutes prior to emergence to avoid a core temperature drop during this critical phase.