Energy expenditure in ischemic stroke patients treated with moderate hypothermia.

OBJECTIVE

To determine total energy expenditure (TEE) in patients with acute ischemic stroke in the territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), treated with moderate hypothermia (33 degrees C).

DESIGN AND SETTING

Prospective study in a neurological ICU.

PATIENTS

Ten consecutive patients with severe MCA infarction undergoing moderate hypothermia.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Indirect calorimetry was performed continuously over the first 6 days after admission. Mean daily TEE decreased significantly from 1549 before initiation of hypothermia to 1099, 1129, and 1157 on the first, second, and third days of hypothermia, respectively and returned to baseline values after hypothermia was terminated. The ratio of TEE to predicted basal energy expenditure declined from 1.01 before induction of hypothermia to an average of 0.74 during steady state of hypothermia and increased to 1.16 after rewarming.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a significant fall in TEE in sedated, curarized, and ventilated ischemic stroke patients during moderate hypothermia. Indirect calorimetry appears to be a useful tool for measuring energy expenditure in these patients, as predicted basal energy expenditure overestimates the caloric requirements during hypothermia.