A comparison of pulmonary artery, rectal, and tympanic membrane temperature measurement in the ICU.
OBJECTIVE
To compare tympanic membrane temperature with pulmonary artery (PA) and rectal temperature (calibrated glass mercury) to determine consistency among measures.


METHODS
Convenience, within-subject, quasi-experimental.


METHODS
Midwestern university-affiliated tertiary medical center.


METHODS
128 adult (18 years or older) patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit with an age range of 18 to 90 years (mean 57 years).


METHODS
Tympanic, PA, and rectal temperature.


METHODS
Rectal and tympanic membrane temperatures were measured in 60 patients. PA and tympanic membrane temperatures were measured in 68 patients.


RESULTS
Rectal and tympanic membrane temperatures were moderately correlated (r = 0.525). Mean rectal was slightly higher than mean tympanic membrane temperature (mean difference 0.19 degrees C). PA and tympanic membrane temperatures were highly correlated (r = 0.909). Mean tympanic membrane temperature was slightly higher than mean PA temperature (mean difference 0.42 degrees C). For PA temperatures, 57 (84%) of the differences were between 0 and +1 degree Celsius, whereas for rectal temperature, 23 (37%) were between 0 and +1 degree Celsius and 28 (47%) were between 0 and -1 degree Celsius.


CONCLUSIONS
Tympanic temperature measurements would be an appropriate substitute for PA temperature if the PA catheter has been removed or the PA thermistor is nonfunctional. In addition, this study suggests that to effectively track temperature in a particular patient, the site for temperature measurement must be consistent.
Klein
D G
DG
Intensive Care Unit, Metrohealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44109.
Mitchell
C
C
Petrinec
A
A
Monroe
M K
MK
Oblak
M
M
Ross
B
B
Youngblut
J M
JM
D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000502:physiology; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology; D013821:Thermometers; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000502:physiology