title: Temporal Artery Temperature Measurement in the Neonate.
abstract: ObjectiveWe compared an infrared temporal artery thermometer with our clinical standard axillary thermometer for temperature measurements in neonatal patients.Study DesignWe measured temporal artery (Tta), axillary (Tax, clinical standard), and rectal (Tr, gold standard) temperatures of 49 infants. The difference between Trand Ttawas compared with that between Trand Tax, and the data were analyzed based on bed type and postmenstrual age.ResultsThe mean Tta, Tax, and Trwere 37.16 (SD 0.36) °C, 36.61 (SD 0.30) °C, and 36.82 (SD 0.30) °C, respectively. The measurements by these methods were all significantly different. The mean Tr-Taxwas 0.21 (SD 0.26) °C, and the mean Tr-Ttawas -0.34 (SD 0.37) °C, indicating that Taxwas closer to Trthan was Tta(p< 0.0001). Ttaagreed more closely with Trfor infants in cribs than for those in incubators. Adjusting for bed type and body weight, with each week of postmenstrual age, the discrepancy between Tr-Ttaand Tr-Taxdecreased by 0.005°C (p= 0.034).ConclusionCompared with the gold standard, Tr, Ttais not more accurate than Tax. The temporal artery thermometer was less accurate for infants in incubators than for infants in cribs. The accuracy of temporal artery temperature increased with postmenstrual age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Mashette E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Syrkin-Nikolau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Tarah T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Colaizy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Ruthann
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schrock
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D001831:Body Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D015370:Infant Equipment; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012007:Rectum; D013699:Temporal Arteries; D013821:Thermometers; D062125:Thermometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*