Comparison of Temple Temperatures with Rectal Temperatures in Children Under Two Years of Age

Abstract

We assessed the agreement between rectal and noninvasive temporal artery temperature measurements in infants and children. We also evaluated the temple thermometer as a screening tool for rectal fever in this age group. Finally, we compared the performance of parents with that of nurses in using the temple thermometer. The 95% limits of agreement between the difference in rectal and average temple temperature were -1.03 and +1.52 degrees C. Mean temple temperatures obtained by parents and by nurses were similar (95% limits of agreement, -0.6 degrees C to +0.7 degrees C). A maximum temple temperature cutoff of 37.2 degrees C (99.0 degrees F) distinguished children with rectal fever of > or =38.0 degrees C with 91% sensitivity and 53% specificity. A cutoff of 37.8 degrees C (100.0 degrees F) distinguished moderate rectal fevers (> or =38.5 degrees C) with 97% sensitivity and 84% specificity. A cutoff of 38.3 degrees C (101.0 degrees F) distinguished a high rectal fever (> or =39.0 degrees C) with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 95%. In conclusion, temple temperatures do not reliably predict rectal temperatures, but the temple thermometer can be used as an effective screen for clinically important rectal fever in children 3-24 months old. The findings do not support use of temple temperatures to screen young infants for rectal fever > or =38.0 degrees C. Temperatures obtained by parents were comparable to those obtained by nurses.

Body temperature measurement in paediatrics: Which gadget should we believe?

“…If accurate, TA thermometers offer all the advantages of tympanic thermometry without the problem of the operator needing to aim the instrument blindly at the tympanic membrane. Readings obtained by parents closely match those obtained by nurses (26). The well-conducted study by Al-Mukhaizeem et al (pages 461-465) demonstrated that TA readings were as accurate as rectal readings, using esophageal readings as the reference standard.…”

“…The well-conducted study by Al-Mukhaizeem et al (pages 461-465) demonstrated that TA readings were as accurate as rectal readings, using esophageal readings as the reference standard. However, previous studies showed TA readings to have poor sensitivity at detecting fever, using rectal (26,27) or PA (28) readings as the reference standard. One possible explanation is that only two of the 80 children in the Al-Mukhaizeem et al study were febrile, and possibly, TA thermometers perform best in the normothermic range.…”

Accuracy, Precision, and Validity of Fever Detection using Non-invasive Temperature Measurement in Adult Coronary Care Unit Patients with Pulmonary Catheters

“…이마체 온은 직장체온이나 고막체온보다 더 정확하고 (Greenes & Fleisher, 2001), 아동의 발열상태를 잘 감별해 내며 (Siberry, Diener -West, Schappell, & Karron, 2002), 구강체온보다 더 정확할 뿐 아니라 폐동 맥은 물론 식도의 심부체온에 필적한다는 보고가 있다 (Carroll, Finn, Judge, Gill, & Sawyer, 2004). 그러나 이마체온은 안정시의 체온 은 잘 반영하지만 발열상태는 잘 감별해 내지 못한다는 상반된 연 구 결과도 보고되고 있다 (Kimberger, Cohen, Illievich, & Lenhardt, 2007;Kistemaker, Den Hartoq, & Daanen, 2006;Ronneberg, Roberts, McBean, & Center, 2008) (Kimberger et al, 2007;Kistemaker et al, 2006;Lawson et al, 2007;Ronnerberg, Roberts, McBean, & Center, 2008) Table 2).…”

Comparison of temporal artery thermometer to standard temperature measurements in pediatric intensive care unit patients

“…(Pediatr Crit Care Med 2005; 6:557-561) KEY WORDS: temperature; children; temporal artery thermometry membrane thermometers has been applied to develop a noninvasive temporal artery (TA) thermometer (18 -21). The rationale for using the temporal artery for temperature measurement stems from its site and unique physiologic characteristics (18,21). Measurement of temperature via skin areas perfused by the superficial TA provides an easily accessible area that does not require contact with mucous membranes.…”