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Performance of infrared ear and forehead thermometers: a comparative study in 205 febrile and afebrile children
Author(s) -
Hamilton Patricia A,
Marcos Lorenzo S,
Secic Michelle
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1111/jocn.12060
Subject(s) - thermometer , repeatability , medicine , forehead , rectal temperature , infrared thermometer , pediatrics , audiology , anesthesia , surgery , infrared , physics , statistics , optics , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Aims and objectives This study compared readings from two professional‐grade, commercially available infrared (IR) thermometers, the T hermo S can ® PRO 4000 prewarmed tip ear thermometer and the T emporal S canner ™ TAT ‐5000 temporal artery thermometer. Background The repeatability and precision of readings from IR thermometers for professional use were questioned in the past, but in recent years, these types of thermometers have been technologically improved, so their ability to replicate standard temperature readings reliably should be re‐examined. Design Febrile and afebrile children were recruited from the e mergency d epartment, overflow treatment areas and the paediatric intensive care unit of a large hospital in A rgentina. Each child had a randomised sequence of seven temperature readings, including three from the ear, three from the forehead or behind the ear and one reference oral or rectal reading. Methods Temperature readings were taken with the T hermo S can PRO 4000, the T emporal S canner TAT ‐5000 and the monitor mode of S ure T emp ® P lus, a widely used professional‐grade contact thermometer, for reference. Results Of 205 children, 46% were febrile, per reference thermometer readings. While mean T hermo S can PRO 4000 febrile measurements did not differ significantly from reference, mean T emporal S canner TAT ‐5000 febrile measurements were significantly lower (by a mean of 0·42 °C) than the reference. Overall bias of the T hermo S can PRO 4000 was significantly lower than that of the T emporal S canner TAT ‐5000; repeatability was 1·5 times higher, and overall false‐negative rate was about a third that of T emporal S canner TAT ‐5000, when compared to the reference. Conclusions This study indicates that the T hermo S can PRO 4000 provides measurements closer to those of a professional‐grade contact thermometer when compared to the T emporal S canner TAT ‐5000. Relevance to clinical practice The odds of misclassifying a febrile child as non‐febrile were about threefold higher with the T emporal S canner TAT ‐5000 temporal artery thermometer than with the T hermo S can ® PRO 4000 ear thermometer.