Intravenous fluid temperature, shivering, and the parturient.

The effect of warmed vs room-temperature intravenous fluids is examined for decreasing shivering in parturients undergoing epidural anesthesia for elective cesarean sections. Forty-four women were studied, 22 receiving warmed and 22 receiving room-temperature fluid therapy for preblock prophylaxis of hypotension and intraoperative maintenance and replacement. Of those given room-temperature balanced salt solutions, 64% shivered, as opposed to 14% in the warm fluid group, an observation significant at less than a P of 0.005 by chi 2-analysis.