Table 2 Management practices for patients with fever admitted to intensive care units
From: Diagnosis and management of temperature abnormality in ICUs: a EUROBACT investigators' survey
| Item | Never | Rarely | Sometimes | Most of the time | Always | *Median (IQR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature is controlled in febrile patients | 0 | 3 (2%) | 23 (17%) | 57 (41%) | 56 (40%) | 4 (4 to 5) |
| Temperature control in febrile patients is directed by physician order | 3 (2%) | 18 (13%) | 25 (18%) | 54 (39%) | 38 (28%) | 4 (3 to 5) |
| Temperature control in febrile patients is directed by nurses | 15 (11%) | 41 (30%) | 33 (24%) | 28 (20%) | 21 (15%) | 3 (2 to 4) |
| Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is used to control temperature in febrile patients | 2 (1%) | 13 (9%) | 35 (25%) | 70 (50%) | 19 (14%) | 4 (3 to 4) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to control temperature in febrile patients | 36 (26%) | 48 (35%) | 41 (30%) | 13 (9%) | 0 | 2 (1 to 3) |
| Physical cooling methods are used to control temperature in febrile patients | 1 (1%) | 18 (13%) | 71 (51%) | 36 (26%) | 13 (9%) | 3 (3 to 4) |
| New fever triggers a full septic work-up | 1 (1%) | 6 (4%) | 25 (18%) | 82 (59%) | 25 (18%) | 4 (4 to 4) |
| Empiric antimicrobials are provided to febrile patients | 1 (1%) | 24 (17%) | 68 (49%) | 39 (28%) | 7 (5%) | 3 (3 to 4) |