title: Axillary and rectal temperature measurements poorly agree in newborn infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of the agreement between axillary temperature measurements and rectal temperature measurements in neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rectal and axillary body temperatures were simultaneously measured for 3 min in 33 neonates (gestational age 25-42 weeks, weight 840-4,005 g). Two investigators performed paired measurements, one in each neonate. A single type of thermometer was used in this study: one thermometer for each rectal and another thermometer for each axillary measurement. The Bland-Altman method was used (95% 'limits of agreement': mean +/- 2 SD) to determine the level of agreement between axillary and rectal measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The axillary temperature was significantly lower than the rectal temperature (mean +/- SD 0.27 +/- 0.20 degrees C, p < 0.05). The '95% limits of agreement' ranged from -0.13 to +0.67 degrees C. Increasing postnatal age (days) showed a significant increase in temperature difference (rectal minus axillary; r = 0.54; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean difference between axillary and rectal temperature shows a wide variation. Axillary temperature measurements cannot be used interchangeably with rectal measurements in neonates.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Unit, Juliana Children's Hospital, The Hague, The Netherlands. p.hissinkmuller@lumc.nl
authors.forename: P C E
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hissink Muller
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: van Berkel
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Beaufort
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla / Q000502:physiology*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013821:Thermometers