title: Accuracy of temporal artery thermometry in neonatal intensive care infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the accuracy of temporal artery and axillary temperatures and the discomfort level of stable neonates during temperature measurement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of neonates between the ages of 32 and 40 weeks' gestation cared for in an isolette or crib.
  
  
  METHODS
  A method-comparison design was used to compare different methods for noninvasive temperature monitoring (infra-red temporal artery; axillary electronic) to core body temperatures (indwelling rectal probe).
  
  
  METHODS
  Bias and precision of test temperature devices (temporal artery; axillary).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bias and precision for the temporal artery and axillary devices were 0.30 ± 0.44 and 0.28 ± 0.33, respectively. Analysis of variance found significant differences between both temporal and axillary temperatures compared to rectal temperatures (P < .01). Statistical differences were small and did not represent a clinically important difference. No statistical difference was found between temporal artery and axillary temperatures (P = .81). Increases in neonate discomfort after temperature measurement were significantly greater with axillary than increases after temporal artery temperature measurement (P = .03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found that body temperature measured with the temporal artery thermometer was similar to temperatures obtained with an axillary thermometer in stable, afebrile neonates. The use of temporal artery thermometry appears to be an acceptable approach for noninvasive temperature measurement in neonates, which causes less discomfort in neonates.
authors.affiliation: Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033, USA. schroeders@exempla.org
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flannery-Bergey
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Randall-Rollins
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teague
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuininga
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schroeder
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D013699:Temporal Arteries; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*; D013821:Thermometers