This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows:

To assess the effects of modest cooling therapies (with antipyretic drugs or physical cooling devices) when administered to patients (adult and children) admitted to hospital after TBI.

We define modest temperature reduction as any interventions carried out with the intention of reducing body temperature to no less than 35ºC (this excludes studies identified in the Cochrane review titled 'Therapeutic hypothermia for head injury' (Alderson 2004) as this review assesses the effect of interventions that reduce temperature to below 34 to 35ºC).

We wish to test the following hypotheses:

1) Modest cooling therapies reduce the risk of a poor outcome after traumatic brain injury. We define a poor outcome as the composite endpoint of death or severe disability.
2) Modest cooling therapies increase the risk of intracranial and extracranial bleeding.
3) Modest cooling therapies increase the risk of pneumonia or other serious infections.