Table 5.

Summary of data on pharmacologic cooling in the treatment of classic heatstroke

Study (country, year)	Population	Study design	Intervention	Outcomes measured	Results	Limitations
[28] (Saudi Arabia, 1990)	Classic heatstroke (n = 20)	Randomized controlled study	Evaporative cooling + dantrolene 2 to 4 mg/kg IV (n = 8) versus evaporative cooling alone (n = 12); target Trect: ≤ 38.9°C	Cooling time; mortality; morbidity	Cooling time in the dantrolene group lower than control (49.7 ± 4.4 versus 69.2 ± 4.8 minutes; p < 0.01); no difference in morbidity and mortality	Small sample size; randomization method not specified; comparability of baseline characteristics questionable
[29] (Saudi Arabia, 1991)	Classic heatstroke (n = 52)	Randomized controlled study	Evaporative cooling + dantrolene 2 mg/kg IV (n = 26) versus evaporative cooling + placebo (n = 26); target Trect: ≤ 39.4°C	Cooling time; organ dysfunction; length of hospital stay; mortality	No significant difference between study and control groups for any of the endpoints	None

IV, intravenous; T_rect: rectal temperature.