Temperature measurement in critical care adults: a comparison of thermometry and measurement routes.
OBJECTIVE
To describe within- and between-subject mean differences between and among temperature sites (oral, axilla, PA) and instruments.


METHODS
A convenience sample (N = 35) of volunteering, adult (> or = 18 years), 1st-day postcardiac surgery inpatients was obtained. Temperature-sensing instruments included Geratherm DataTherm and SolarTherm, and Abbott Opticath fiber optic PA catheters. For 21 min, simultaneous temperature readings (degrees C) at 4 temperature sites with 3 thermometry devices were monitored.


RESULTS
Mean difference at 21 min PA and between DataTherm axilla and PA = 0.72 degrees C (SD 0.30); between PA and SolarTherm oral = 0.62 degrees C (SD 0.34); and between PA and SolarTherm axilla = 0.46 degrees C (SD 0.16). Temperature levels were not a factor relative to difference scores between study and reference devices.


CONCLUSIONS
Both test devices, SolarTherm (an intermittent-use device) and DataTherm (a temperature-monitoring device), performed well, and correlated strongly with PA temperature assessments.
Smith
Linda S
LS
Oregon Health & Science University, Klamath Falls 97601-9310, USA. drlsmith@direcway.com
D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D003422:Critical Care; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D013821:Thermometers