Editorial The Yin and Yang of Hypothermia in Trauma

The relationship between hypothermia and outcome from severe trauma remains quite unclear, as hypothermia seems to be a double-edged sword. Clinical experience suggests that hypother-mia is detrimental to patients, whereas multiple laboratory stud-ies have demonstrated benefit. Translating the laboratory findings into positive results in clinical trials has proven to be challenging and frustrating. In this issue of the journal, Finkel-stein and Alam1 have presented a comprehensive review of our current understanding of this fickle relationship between hypothermia and outcome in patients with trauma. The key points they make should be emphasized and put in perspective. What does all this mean and where do we go from here? Before proceeding, it is worth clarifying a few definitions. First is timing of hypothermia. Peter Safar2 has called treatment before a traumatic or ischemic insult ‘‘protection,’ ’ treatmen