HEAT

Permissive HyperthErmiA Through Avoidance of Paracetamol in Known or Suspected Infection in ICU

Fever is an adaptive response to infections which occurs widely in the animal kingdom.  The suppression of fever increases the risk of mortality in animals, although the effect of antipyretics in critically ill patients is unknown.  The objective of this study is to determine whether paracetamol influences the outcomes of critically ill patients with known or suspected infection.  This phase 2b double blind randomised placebo controlled trial of paracetamol will be undertaken in 700 patients with sepsis in 11 ICUs in New Zealand and 11 ICUs in Australia.

Management  Committee

Paul Young, Manoj Saxena, Colin McArthur, Seton Henderson, Shay McGuiness, Ross Freebairn, Frank van Haren, John Myburg, Rinaldo Bellomo, Lynn Andrews, Diane Mackle, Steve Webb, Richard Beasley.

Administering Institution

Medical Research Institute of New Zealand and The George Institute

Funding

Health Research Council NZ $1.2 Million over three years

Project Status

Ethics approval granted. Australian site selection is in the final stages.

Reference

CTG 11-002