Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue

Hypothermia in pediatrics is mainly about small body size. The key thermal factor here is the large surface-to-volume ratio. Although small mammals, including human infants and children, are adapted to higher heat losses through their elevated metabolic rate and thermogenic capacity, they are still...

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Autor principal:	Dominique Singer
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	thermoregulation body size neonates infants children hypothermia Medicine R
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/ff79b8b165a84c65b5baa4125df886b7
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:ff79b8b165a84c65b5baa4125df886b72021-11-11T16:36:40ZPediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue10.3390/ijerph1821114841660-46011661-7827https://doaj.org/article/ff79b8b165a84c65b5baa4125df886b72021-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11484https://doaj.org/toc/1661-7827https://doaj.org/toc/1660-4601Hypothermia in pediatrics is mainly about small body size. The key thermal factor here is the large surface-to-volume ratio. Although small mammals, including human infants and children, are adapted to higher heat losses through their elevated metabolic rate and thermogenic capacity, they are still at risk of hypothermia because of a small regulatory range and an impending metabolic exhaustion. However, some small mammalian species (hibernators) use reduced metabolic rates and lowered body temperatures as adaptations to impaired energy supply. Similar to nature, hypothermia has contradictory effects in clinical pediatrics as well: In neonates, it is a serious risk factor affecting respiratory adaptation in term and developmental outcome in preterm infants. On the other hand, it is an important self-protective response to neonatal hypoxia and an evidence-based treatment option for asphyxiated babies. In children, hypothermia first enabled the surgical repair of congenital heart defects and promotes favorable outcome after ice water drowning. Yet, it is also a major threat in various prehospital and clinical settings and has no proven therapeutic benefit in pediatric critical care. All in all, pediatric hypothermia is an ambiguous issue whose harmful or beneficial effects strongly depend on the particular circumstances.Dominique SingerMDPI AGarticlethermoregulationbody sizeneonatesinfantschildrenhypothermiaMedicineRENInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 18, Iss 11484, p 11484 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	thermoregulation body size neonates infants children hypothermia Medicine R
spellingShingle	thermoregulation body size neonates infants children hypothermia Medicine R Dominique Singer Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue
description	Hypothermia in pediatrics is mainly about small body size. The key thermal factor here is the large surface-to-volume ratio. Although small mammals, including human infants and children, are adapted to higher heat losses through their elevated metabolic rate and thermogenic capacity, they are still at risk of hypothermia because of a small regulatory range and an impending metabolic exhaustion. However, some small mammalian species (hibernators) use reduced metabolic rates and lowered body temperatures as adaptations to impaired energy supply. Similar to nature, hypothermia has contradictory effects in clinical pediatrics as well: In neonates, it is a serious risk factor affecting respiratory adaptation in term and developmental outcome in preterm infants. On the other hand, it is an important self-protective response to neonatal hypoxia and an evidence-based treatment option for asphyxiated babies. In children, hypothermia first enabled the surgical repair of congenital heart defects and promotes favorable outcome after ice water drowning. Yet, it is also a major threat in various prehospital and clinical settings and has no proven therapeutic benefit in pediatric critical care. All in all, pediatric hypothermia is an ambiguous issue whose harmful or beneficial effects strongly depend on the particular circumstances.
format	article
author	Dominique Singer
author_facet	Dominique Singer
author_sort	Dominique Singer
title	Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue
title_short	Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue
title_full	Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue
title_fullStr	Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue
title_full_unstemmed	Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue
title_sort	pediatric hypothermia: an ambiguous issue
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/ff79b8b165a84c65b5baa4125df886b7
work_keys_str_mv	AT dominiquesinger pediatrichypothermiaanambiguousissue
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Pediatric Hypothermia: An Ambiguous Issue

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