Effectiveness of warm compresses in reducing the temperature of febrile children: A pilot randomized clinical trial

Souza, Mariana Vieira de; Souza, Danton Matheus de; Damião, Elaine Buchhorn Cintra; Buchhorn, Soraia Matilde Marques; Rossato, Lisabelle Mariano; Salvetti, Marina de Goés

doi:10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2022-0168en

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE • Rev. esc. enferm. USP 56 • 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2022-0168en copy

Effectiveness of warm compresses in reducing the temperature of febrile children: A pilot randomized clinical trial^* * Extracted from the master’s thesis: “Efetividade da intervenção compressas mornas na redução da temperatura de crianças febris: ensaio clínico randomizado piloto” from Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade de São Paulo, 2020.

Efectividad de compresas tibias en la reducción de la temperatura de niños febriles: Ensayo clínico aleatorizado piloto

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of the application of a warm compress in association with the prescribed antipyretic drug compared to the effect of the prescribed antipyretic alone, in reducing fever in hospitalized children.

Method:

This is a pilot randomized clinical trial performed in pediatric units of a secondary-level hospital. The convenience sample consisted of 33 children with axillary temperature greater than or equal to 37.8°C (100°F), randomized to the control group (antipyretics) or intervention group (antipyretics + warm compresses). Temperature was monitored in both groups for 3 hours and data were collected using standardized instruments, analyzed using Mann Whitney, Fisher’s Exact, Chi-Square, and ANOVA tests.

Results:

The control group consisted of 17 children and the intervention group of 16 children. The temperature of all children decreased over time, with progressive attenuation, with a lower final mean in the control group (p=0.035). In the intervention group, irritability and crying were observed in 12.5% of the children.

Conclusion:

The application of warm compresses in association with antipyretics was not effective in reducing fever in hospitalized children compared to the use of pharmacological measures alone.

Clinical trial registration protocol:

UTN-U1111-1229-1599.

DESCRIPTORS
Fever; Child; Child, Hospitalized; Clinical Trial; Pediatric Nursing; Nursing Care

Variables	CG (N=17)		IG (N=16)		p-Value
Variables	Mean	SD¹	Mean	SD¹	p-Value
Age					0.125****
Months	37	31	23	26
	N	%	N	%
Sex
Female	9	53%	7	44%	0.597**
Male	8	47%	9	56%
Place of admission
PER	6	35%	1	6%	0.112***
PIU	7	41%	8	50%
PICU	4	24%	7	44%
Inclusion in the research (hours)*
≤ 24 hours	10	59%	3	19%	0.052***
24–72 hours	4	23%	9	56%
72 hours	3	18%	4	25%
Medication
Paracetamol	2	12%	4	25%	0.654***
Dipyrone	14	88%	12	75%
Diagnosis
Respiratory pathologies	12	70%	9	56%	0.728***
Infectious pathologies	2	12%	3	19%
Various pathologies	1	6%	2	12.5%
Gastrointestinal pathologies	1	6%	2	12.5%
Unidentified pathologies	1	6%	–	–

Time (minutes)	Group	N	Sum	Mean	Standard deviation	p- Value
T0 (antipyretic)	CG	17	653.5	38.4	± 0.6	0.526*
T0 (antipyretic)	IG	16	612.1	38.3	± 0.3	0.526*
T1 (30 minutes)	CG	17	644.8	37.9	± 0.6	0.505**
T1 (30 minutes)	IG	16	604.6	37.8	± 0.6	0.505**
T2 (60 minutes)	CG	17	634.2	37.3	± 0.5	0.594**
T2 (60 minutes)	IG	16	598.5	37.4	± 0.6	0.594**
T3 (180 minutes)	CG	17	622.1	36	± 0.6	0.035**
T3 (180 minutes)	IG	16	593.5	37.1	± 0.7	0.035**

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author: Mariana Vieira de Souza Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, Cerqueira César 05403-000 – São Paulo, SP, Brazil mariana.ee@usp.br