Body temperature and its regulation

Understanding human temperature physiology and its management has significant relevance across all clinical specialties. Not only does it influence anaesthetic drug metabolism, it also affects perioperative outcome. Thermal management is equally crucial in a multitude of clinical settings. In the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU), paediatricians must carefully manage preterm babies' temperature. In the accident and emergency department, physicians manage near-drowning patients. Post-operative care for a patient with a traumatic brain injury in an adult ICU requires strict temperature control to prevent secondary brain injury. This article hopes to bring forth some key principles of thermoregulation, however temperature measurements and warming strategies are to be covered in other review articles. The article also highlights some important concepts of thermal-dysregulation such as fever and heat stroke, especially in the context of an ageing population and global warming.