Comparing common emergency cooling methods for heat-related overheating
Official title: The Effectiveness of Emergency Room Protocols for Treating Hyperthermia
Run by University of Colorado, Colorado Springs · NCT07433036 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research will test several cooling methods to see which one cools healthy adults fastest and safest when they develop hyperthermia.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Colorado Springs, Colorado) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | February 25, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07433036 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are healthy, active adults who are not pregnant, do not use tobacco, do not have pacemakers, and are not taking medications or supplements that affect body temperature regulation.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are pregnant, use tobacco, have pacemakers, take medications or supplements that alter thermoregulation, or have ongoing musculoskeletal pain are excluded and are unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Participants will complete a brief screening session followed by five experimental visits during which three commonly used emergency-department cooling protocols (cooling packs, ice‑soaked sheets with fan, and an ice-filled body bag) are compared against passive cooling in an air‑conditioned room and cold water immersion. Each experimental session lasts about three hours and includes controlled heat exposure followed by the assigned cooling intervention while staff monitor temperature and safety. The study enrolls active, healthy adults without medical conditions or medications that affect thermoregulation, and excludes pregnant people and those with pacemakers. Outcomes include rate and magnitude of cooling and tolerability of each method.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help emergency departments choose the fastest and safest cooling method to reduce complications from heat-related hyperthermia.
How similar studies have gone: Cold water immersion already has strong evidence for rapid cooling in exertional hyperthermia, while direct comparative data on ice sheets and body‑bag cooling in emergency settings are more limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Active, healthy individuals Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant * Have a pacemaker * Currently taking any prescribed or over the counter medications or nutritional supplements known to influence thermoregulatory responses * Experience lingering pain from a previous musculoskeletal injury (i.e. knee, hip, or back pain) * Use tobacco/nicotine products
Where it's running
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University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Nathan Morris, PhD
- Email: nmorris6@uccs.edu
- Phone: 719-255-4466
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.