The Impact of Hyperthermia on The 30-Day Functional Recovery Outcome of Stroke Patients at a Hospital In Vietnam

Pham, Tho Kieu Anh
Pham, Van Phuong
Nguyen, Vu Hien
Tran, Van De
Nguyen, Thanh Tan

Public Health of Indonesia
Vol. 11 No. 4 (2025): October - December

Background: Hyperthermia is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with neurological injuries. However, in Vietnam, there is limited research on this association among both stroke patients and hemorrhagic stroke patient groups. Objective: This study aims to determine the rate of hyperthermia and some factors related to hyperthermia in stroke patients, as well as evaluating the impact of hyperthermia on the 30-day motor recovery outcomes of stroke patients. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients diagnosed with acute stroke and treated as inpatients at a Hospital in Vietnam, from May 1, 2023, to July 31, 2023. The 30-day outcomes of stroke patients were collected 30 days post-discharge during an outpatient clinic visit, assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) for motor function recovery. Results: Of the 262 acute stroke patients included in this study, 33.3% of them had hyperthermia (defined as a body temperature > 37.5°C), with the frequency of hyperthermia episodes increasing significantly after the first 72 hours post-admission (52.9%). An NIHSS score above 5 (OR=5.31; 95%CI: 1.78-15.90; p=0.003), infection status (OR=168.16; 95%CI: 40.59-696.74; p<0.001), and ischemic stroke classification (OR=31.45; 95%CI: 8.52-116.05; p<0.001) were found to be associated with hyperthermia in stroke patients. Additionally, the number of hyperthermia episodes (OR=7.72; 95%CI: 1.45-41.11; p=0.020) and the NIHSS score at admission (OR=55.51; 95%CI: 18.01-171.08; p<0.001) were associated with poor motor recovery outcomes 30 days post-discharge. Conclusion: The study found that nearly one-third of patients experienced hyperthermia. These results underscore the significance of monitoring body temperature after the first 72 hours in stroke patients, particularly in those with hemorrhagic stroke, high NIHSS scores, and infections. Addressing hyperthermia and controlling infections are crucial for reducing the frequency of hyperthermic episodes during treatment.