The Effect of Different Temperature Management Strategies in Adult Sepsis Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

This investigation seeks to assess the impact of various temperature management approaches on the rates of death and organ failure among adult patients suffering from sepsis. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to September 2024. These trials examined the impact of temperature management strategies on sepsis patients. Two independent investigators conducted literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction. A meta-analysis was conducted using a fixed-effect model to evaluate outcome measures, including mortality and organ dysfunction. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42024627677. The analysis incorporated eight RCTs, involving 1843 patients. The findings demonstrated that the management of hyperthermia markedly diminished the mortality risk among individuals suffering from sepsis (risk ratio = 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37–0.59, p < 0.001), exhibiting low heterogeneity (I² = 39%). However, the effects of hyperthermia on organ dysfunction remained unclear (Mean Difference [MD] = −0.92, 95% CI: −1.91 to 0.07, p = 0.07), exhibiting low heterogeneity (I² = 0%). However, these effects on organ dysfunction were based on only two studies and 215 patients, which made them prone to a type II error. Hyperthermia management strategies are effective in reducing mortality among adults with sepsis. However, their impact on organ dysfunction requires further investigation through high-quality RCTs. Despite the limitations of this study, hyperthermia strategies offer a promising approach to multidimensional intervention in sepsis. Further studies should strengthen structured subgroup analyses and mechanistic studies based on RCTs to optimize treatment strategies under various clinical scenarios.