Could letting fever run its course help brain injury patients?

NCT ID NCT07709325

Ongoing Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Odense University Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study explores whether it is safe and practical to allow body temperature to rise to 39.5°C (permissive hyperthermia) in critically ill patients with severe brain injury, instead of aggressively treating fever. Twenty patients on ventilators with brain monitoring will be placed in one of two groups: one where fever is kept below 37.5°C, and one where fever is allowed up to 39.5°C. The goal is to see if working with the body's natural fever response is feasible without raising brain pressure.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Allowing body temperature up to 39.5°C (permissive hyperthermia) versus standard fever control below 37.5°C
What this could lead to: If safe, this approach could change how fever is managed in brain injury, potentially reducing the need for aggressive cooling.
What could go wrong: This is a very small pilot study (20 people) testing feasibility only, not effectiveness. Allowing higher temperature might increase brain pressure or cause harm.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

brain injury Fever

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

FEVER

Contacts and locations

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Locations

Neurointensiv care

Odense C, 5000, Denmark

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