PURPOSE This study compared the effects of forced air warming and radiant heating on body temperature and shivering of patients with postoperative hypothermia. METHODS The quasi-experimental study was conducted with two experimental groups who had surgery under general anesthesia; 20 patients of group 1 experimented with the Bair Hugger as a forced air warming and 20 patients of group 2 experimented with the Radiant heater. The study was performed from July 3 to August 31, 2006 in a recovery room of an university hospital in a city. The effects of the experiment were measured by postoperative body temperature and chilling score at arrival and after every 10 minutes. The data were analyzed by t-test or chi-square-test, repeated measures ANCOVA using SPSS/WIN 12.0. RESULTS The mean body temperature showed differences between the Bair Hugger group and Radiant Heater group at 40 minutes(F=-2.579, p=.034), 50minutes(F=-2.752, p=.027), and 60 minutes(F=-2.470, p=.047) after arrival to the recovery room. So, hypothesis 1 was partially accepted. The mean score of shivering showed differences between the Bair Hugger group and the Radiant Heater group, but it had no significant meaning. Hypothesis 2 was not accepted. CONCLUSION We need more study to explore the effects and side effects of heating modalities to select a more effective heat treatment. The efficiency of heat modalities with regards to cost benefit, time consumption, and patients' discomfort such as burns should be considered.
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