Standard thermometers may falsely read 34°C in severe hypothermia, necessitating the use of low-reading or core body temperature measurements in clinical scenarios like hypothermia-induced arrhythmias.
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Highlights hypothermia arrhythmia risks beyond frigid zones; leaves open validation of standard thermometers in emergencies.
Hypothermia is an involuntary fall in body temperature, usually below 35°C. Hypothermia is a common condition, especially in frigid zones. However, it should not be forgotten that it can also occur in temperate climates or for iatrogenic reasons. Hypothermia is associated with seriously severe arrhythmias, particularly ventricular fibrillation, and there are many reports of prolonged resuscitation in these patient groups. This case report shows that a standard thermometer, either with Emergency Medical Services or in-hospital, will be incapable of reading the temperature if it is less than 34°C and will falsely read 34°C when in reality it is lower than that; in a clinically relevant scenario, a low-reading thermometer or core body temperature readings, such as rectal or esophageal, should be used.
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Zaki et al. (2022) studied this question.
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