Title: Infectious Risks of Targeted Temperature Management

Category: Critical Care

Posted: 9/16/2014 by Mike Winters, MBA, MD

Infectious Risks Associated with TTM

Targeted temperature management (TTM) is commonly used in the care of patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest.
Despite improving neurologic outcomes, TTM can increase the risk of infection, bleeding, coagulopathy, arrhythmias, and electrolyte derangements.
Infectious complications of TTM are associated with increases in ICU length of stay, along with increases in the duration of mechanical ventilation.
Pneumonia and bacteremia are the two most common infectious complications of TTM, with S.aureus the most common single pathogen isolated in cases of infection.
Since TTM may suppress normal signs of infection, it is important to be vigilant for these two infectious complications.
At present, evidence does not support prophylactic antibiotics for all patients receiving TTM.

Kuchena A, et al. Postcardiac arrest temperature management: infectious risks. Curr Opin Crit Care 2014; 20:507-15.