azam sharyfy
alireza khatony
mansour rezaey

Aims: Many factors such as positive pressure ventilation, lack of coordination between patients and ventilator, suction, patient’s position and physiologic factors can influence endotracheal tube cuff pressure. The purpose of this study was to determine relationship between core body temperature and changes of endotracheal tube cuff pressure. Methods: This correlational descriptive analytical study was done in ۲۰۱۲ in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Imam Reza hospital in Kermanshah. In this study, ۲۵۹ intubated patients recruited with convenient sampling method. Endotracheal tube cuff pressure and core body temperature were measured twice in ۶-hour intervals. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS-۱۶ software, descriptive and analytic statistic including Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation coefficients . Results: In ۶۵% of patients, cuff pressure was out of the standard range in its first measurement. At the second time, after correction of cuff pressure, it decreased to ۲۰% of patients. There was significant difference between mean of core body temperature before and after correction (p≤۰.۰۰۱), but there was not statistically significant relationship between core body temperature and changes of endotracheal tube cuff pressure before and after the correction of cuff pressure. Conclusions: Results showed that there is no relationship between core body temperature and changes of endotracheal tube cuff pressure. However, regular monitoring of cuff pressure and core body temperature of patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is recommended and further investigations are suggested.