Changes in body temperature of critically ill patients submitted to bed bathing: a crossover clinical trial

ABSTRACT Objectives: to compare tympanic and axillary body temperature values of critical patients before after the traditional dry bed bath. Methods: this is a randomized, open crossover clinical trial conducted with 50 adult patients. All received both types bathing. The were measured at beginning end baths. Wilcoxon test or paired Student’s t was used. Results: elderly male predominated. There no significant difference between medians during bath (p=0.707) (p=0.101). Axillary means reduced baths (p=0.001), being 36.12ºC in 35.92ºC Conclusions: bath, regardless method used, caused reduction patients’ temperature.