title: Reliability of infrared thermometric measurements of skin temperature in the hand.
abstract: METHODS
  Clinical measurement study.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Skin temperature asymmetries (STAs) are used in the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), but little evidence exists for reliability of the equipment and methods.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the reliability of an inexpensive infrared (IR) thermometer and measurement points in the hand for the study of STA.
  
  
  METHODS
  ST was measured three times at five points on both hands with an IR thermometer by two raters in 20 volunteers (12 normals and 8 CRPS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ST measurement results using IR thermometers support inter-rater reliability: intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimate for single measures 0.80; all ST measurement points were also highly reliable (ICC single measures, 0.83-0.91).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The equipment demonstrated excellent reliability, with little difference in the reliability of the five measurement sites. These preliminary findings support their use in future CRPS research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
authors.affiliation: Hand Therapy Clinic, Neurosciences and Trauma Program, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. packhamt@hhsc.ca
authors.forename: Tara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Packham
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fok
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: Lehana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thabane
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buckley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020918:Complex Regional Pain Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D013821:Thermometers; D062125:Thermometry / Q000379:methods*