Body temperature after accidental injury.

Core and mean skin temperatures have been measured in 82 patients shortly after accidental injuries of different severity in order to study the effects of injury on thermoregulation. Skin temperature fell after injury and core temperature also when the injury was severe. After severe injuries both core and mean body temperatures were negatively related to the severity of the injury, measured by the Injury Severity Score. The fall in skin temperature was attributed to vasoconstriction and that in core temperature to decreased heat production due to reduced oxygen transport to the tissues. These changes in temperature should have stimulated shivering which was not observed in the severely injured. This suggests that thermoregulation is affected after injury, and possible mechanisms are discussed.