Clinical effectiveness of continuous blood purification in combination with ulinastatin in treating thermoplegia.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical effectiveness of continuous blood purification (CBP) in combination with ulinastatin for the treatment of thermoplegia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients (28 men and 12 women) with severe heat stroke were admitted to our hospital's ICU department from June 2010 to August 2013. The patients were randomized into a treatment group (n=21; 15 men and six women, with an average age of 32.9 years) and control group (n=19; 13 men and six women, with an average age of 33.1 years). Patients in the control group underwent treatments of oxygen inhalation, dynamic ECG monitoring, physical cooling methods (ice caps or ice application), whereas patients in the treatment group, in addition to this treatment, were further treated with continuous blood purification in combination with ulinastatin. During administration, the content of one vial was dissolved in 100 mL of physiological saline for intravenous dripping for 1.5 hours. RESULTS: There were 18 cured cases, one case of sequelae of mild neurological disorders, and two deaths in the treatment group, with the cure rate of 90.48%. In comparison, there were 12 cured cases, three cases of sequelae of mild neurological disorders, and four deaths in the control group, with the cure rate of 78.95%. The overall response rates of rectal temperature drop were determined to be 95.24% and 73.68% for the treatment group and the control group, respectively. Based on the treatment outcomes data, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) recovery, deaths and survival outcomes of patients in the treatment group was more favorable than that of the control group. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Continuous blood purification in combination with ulinastatin is effective in treating thermoplegia and warrants further investigation.