Axillary Temperature Measurements Research Articles

Comparison of Wireless Continuous Axillary and Core Temperature Measurement after Major Surgery.

Temperature is considered one of the primary vital signs for detection of complications such as infections. Continuous wireless real-time axillary temperature monitoring is technologically feasible at the general ward, but no clinical validation studies exist. This study compared axillary temperature with a urinary bladder thermometer in 40 major abdominal postoperative patients. The primary outcome was changes in axillary temperature registrations. Secondary outcomes were mean bias between the urinary bladder and the axillary temperatures. Intermittent frontal and tympanic temperature recordings were also collected. Forty patients were monitored for 50 min with an average core temperature of 36.8 °C. The mean bias was -1.0 °C (LoA -1.9 to -0) after 5 min, and -0.8 °C (LoA -1.6 to -0.1) after 10 min when comparing the axillary temperature with the urinary bladder temperature. After 20 min, the mean bias was -0.6 °C (LoA -1.3-0.1). During upper arm abduction, the axilla temperature was reduced to -1.6 °C (LoA -2.9 to -0.3) within 1 min. Temporal skin temperature measurement had a resulted in a mean bias of -0.1 °C (LOA -1.1 to -1.0) compared with central temperature. Compared with the mean tympanic temperature, it was -0.1 °C (LoA -0.9 to -1.0) lower than the urinay bladder temperature. Axillary temperature increased with time, reaching a mean bias of 1 °C between axillary and core temperature within 5 min. Opening the axillary resulted in rapidly lower temperature recordings. These findings may aid in use and designing corrections for continuous axillary temperature monitoring.

Comparison of Wireless Continuous Axillary and Core Temperature Measurement after Major Surgery

Comparison of Wireless Continuous Axillary and Core Temperature Measurement after Major Surgery

Evaluating the Agreement between Oral, Armpit, and Ear Temperature Readings during Physical Activities in an Outdoor Setting.

Accurate body temperature measurement is essential for monitoring and managing safety during outdoor activities. Physical activities are an essential consideration for public health, with sports taking up an important proportion of these. Athletes' performances can be directly affected by body temperature fluctuations, with overheating or hypothermia posing serious health risks. Monitoring these temperatures allows coaches and medical staff to make decisions that enhance performance and safety. Traditional methods, like oral, axillary, and tympanic readings, are widely used, but face challenges during intense physical activities in real-world environments. This study evaluated the agreement, correlation, and interchangeability of oral, axillary, and tympanic temperature measurements in outdoor exercise conditions. Systems developed for specific placements might generate different sensor readouts. Conducted as an observational field study, it involved 21 adult participants (11 males and 10 females, average age 25.14 ± 5.80 years) that underwent the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test protocol on an outdoor court. The main outcomes measured were the agreement and correlation between temperature readings from the three methods, both before and after exercise. The results indicate poor agreement between the measurement sites, with significant deviations observed post-exercise. Although the Spearman correlation coefficients showed consistent temperature changes post-exercise across all methods, the standard deviations in the pairwise comparisons exceeded 0.67 °C. This study concluded that widely used temperature measurement methods are challenging to use during outdoor exercises and should not be considered interchangeable. This variability, especially after exercise, underscores the need for further research using gold standard temperature measurement methods to determine the most suitable site for accurate readings. Care should thus be taken when temperature screening is done at scale using traditional methods, as each measurement site should be considered within its own right.

Rectal and axillary admission temperature in preterm infants less than 32 weeks' gestation, a prospective study.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the differences between rectal and axillary temperature measurements in preterm infants who were born less than 32 weeks' gestation using digital thermometers upon their admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Prospective, observational, single centre study. Rectal and axillary temperatures measurements were performed using a digital thermometer. The study examined various maternal and neonatal factors to describe the study group, including the use of prenatal corticosteroids, the occurrence of maternal diabetes and hypertension, a history of maternal prolonged rupture of membranes (PROM), maternal chorioamnionitis, the mode of delivery, along with the neonate's gender, birth weight, and gestational age. The Pearson correlation coefficient (R) was calculated to ascertain the linear relationship between the temperatures taken at the rectal and axillary sites. The concordance between the two sets of temperature data was analyzed using the Bland-Altman method. Eighty infants with a mean gestational age of 28.4 weeks (SD = 2.9) and a mean birth weight of 1,229 g (SD = 456) were included in the study. The mean axillary temperature was 36.4 °C (SD = 0.7), which was lower than the mean rectal temperature of 36.6 °C (SD = 0.6) (p = 0.012). Rectal temperatures surpassed axillary measurements in 59% of instances, while the reverse was observed in 21% of cases. Rectal and axillary temperatures had a strong correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.915, p < 0.001). Bland-Altman plot showed a small mean difference of 0.1C between the two temperatures measurements but the limits of agreement were wide (+0.7 to -0.6 °C). For hypothermic infants, the mean difference between rectal and axillary temperatures was 0.27 °C, with a wide limit of agreement ranging from -0.5 °C to +1 °C. Conversely, for normothermic infants, the mean difference was smaller at 0.1 °C, with a narrower limit of agreement from -0.4 °C to +0.6 °C. While there is a good correlation between axillary and rectal temperatures, the wider limits of agreement indicate variability, particularly in hypothermic infants. For a more accurate assessment of core body temperature in hypothermic infants, clinicians should consider using rectal measurements to ensure effective thermal regulation and better clinical outcomes.

Temperature assessment in newborn: a better method

Background: Accurate temperature assessment is essential in neonatal care as minor temperature changes can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of newborns. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of three different types of thermometers, including non-contact infrared, digital, and mercury thermometers, for temperature assessment in newborns. Methods: This was a prospective, comparative study conducted between April 2022 and August 2022 in Cheluvamba hospital, Mysuru. A total of 400 healthy newborns were included in the study. Temperature readings were taken from the mid-forehead non-contact infrared thermometer and axilla using digital and mercury thermometers, while maintaining aseptic precautions. Parental oral consent was obtained for participation. Results: The mean temperature recorded with the digital thermometer in the axilla was statistically higher than that recorded with the mercury thermometer. The non-contact infrared thermometer showed a strong positive correlation with the mercury thermometer for the axilla region. Conclusions: The digital thermometer is a useful device for easy and valid measurement of skin temperature in newborns, especially when applied to the axilla. The findings suggest that the use of digital thermometers for axillary temperature measurement in neonates is supported by previous studies, which have reported their accuracy and reliability in comparison to mercury thermometers. The non-contact infrared thermometer may have limitations and its accuracy may vary depending on the site of measurement. The use of digital thermometers for neonatal temperature measurement may be more convenient, less hazardous, and equally reliable compared to traditional mercury thermometers.

Comparison of rectal thermometry with the alternative undertail, axillary, and inguinal temperature measurements in sheep

This study was conducted to ascertain the suitability of alternative locations for temperature measurement, with reference to rectal thermometry in sheep, using a digital thermometer (DT). The study employed a single-factor multilevel design, considering anatomical location (site) as the main factor. This anatomical location factor had four conditions, including rectal (rectalDTt), undertail (undertailDTt), inguinal (inguinalDTt), and axillary (axillaryDTt) locations. A total of 16 sheep were recruited for the study, and each treatment had eight replicates. The data obtained were descriptively analyzed using means and standard deviations, while inferential statistics included analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlation, Tukey’s test, t-test, and Bland-Altman plot. The mean inguinalDTt was the highest (39.51 ± 0.31℃), while the lowest was the mean undertailDTt (38.97±0.45). The effect of anatomical location on temperature readings was statistically significant. The difference between mean rectalDTt and inguinalDTt, or axillaryDTt was not significant. The rectalDTt measurements were significantly correlated with those of each treatment. Equivalence analysis revealed a non-significant bias between the rectalDTt and inguinalDTt pair. The Bland-Altman plot showed a good level of correlation and considerable agreement between rectalDTt and inguinalDTt measurements. In conclusion, temperature measurement at the inguinal location results in readings that are similar to those of rectal thermometry and thus may be of clinical importance in the future, particularly with digital thermometer application in sheep.

Infrared Imaging of the Brain-Eyelid Thermal Tunnel: A Promising Method for Measuring Body Temperature in Afebrile Children.

(1) Infrared thermography of the inner canthus of the eye has emerged as a promising tool for temperature screening and fever diagnosis. Its non-invasive nature lends itself well to mass screening in diverse settings such as schools, public transport, and healthcare facilities. Swift and accurate temperature assessment plays a pivotal role in the early identification of potential fever cases, facilitating timely isolation, testing, and treatment, thereby mitigating the risk of disease transmission. Nonetheless, the reliability of this approach in the pediatric population, especially when compared to conventional thermometry methods, remains unexplored. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the concordance between the temperature of the inner canthus of the eye (Tic,eye), referred to as the brain-eyelid thermal tunnel (BTT°), with axillary and tympanic methods in afebrile children. (2) Methods: A cohort of 36 children, matched in a 1:1 ratio for gender and age, underwent comprehensive assessments encompassing anthropometric data, blood pressure evaluations, axillary (Tax) and tympanic (Tty) temperature measurements, as well as BTT° infrared thermography. (3) Results: The findings revealed a high level of concordance among the tympanic, axillary, and BTT° measurement methods. Bland-Altman plots showed that the bias was minimal, and no statistically significant differences were observed when comparing BTT° with axillary (p = 0.136) and tympanic (p = 0.268) measurements. Passing-Bablok regression scatter plots further confirmed the agreement, aligning the fitted regression line closely with the identity line for both axillary versus BTT° and tympanic (Tty) versus BTT° comparisons. (4) Conclusions: This study holds significant implications for public health, especially in the context of infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19. BTT° infrared thermography of the inner canthus of the eye (Tic,eye) reliably measures body temperature in afebrile children in controlled settings; nevertheless, its practical application necessitates the adaptation of biothermodynamic parameters to accommodate diverse environmental conditions.

Axillary temperature measurements based on smart wearable thermometers in South Korean children: comparison with tympanic temperature measurements.

PurposeThis study explored the validity of a new type of thermometer and parent satisfaction with the new device. This 24-hour continuous monitoring smart wearable wireless thermometer (TempTraq®) uses a very small semiconductor sensor with a thin patch-like shape.MethodsWe obtained 397 sets of TempTraq® axillary temperatures and tympanic temperatures from 44 pediatric patients. Agreement between the axillary and tympanic measurements, as well as the validity of the TempTraq® axillary temperatures, were evaluated. Satisfaction surveys were completed by 41 caregivers after the measurements.ResultsThe TempTraq® axillary temperatures demonstrated a strong positive correlation with the tympanic temperatures. The Bland-Altman plot and analysis of TempTraq® axillary temperatures and tympanic temperatures showed that the mean difference was +0.45 ℃, the 95% limits of agreement were -0.57 to +1.46 ℃. Based on a tympanic temperature of 38 ℃, the results of validity of fever detection were sensitivity 0.85 and specificity 0.86. Satisfaction scores for TempTraq® temperature measurement were all > 4 points (satisfactory).ConclusionTempTraq® smart axillary temperature measurement is an appropriate method for measuring children's temperatures since it was highly correlated to tympanic temperatures, had a reliable level of sensitivity and specificity, and could be used safely and conveniently.

Impact of postoperative hypothermia on outcomes after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Even though the physiological derangements caused by hypothermia are well described, there is no consensus about its impact on postoperative outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of postoperative hypothermia on outcomes after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. A total of 1979 patients undergoing isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in a single center in the period 2007-2018 were classified according to their axillary temperature measurement at intensive care unit admission postoperatively to either hypothermic (<36°C) or normothermic (≥36°C). Between-group differences on baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes were assessed before and after propensity score matching. Data analysis showed that 582 patients (29.4%) were hypothermic (median temperature 35.5°C) and 1397 patients (70.6%) were normothermic (median temperature 36.4°C). Using propensity score matching, 567 patient pairs were created. Patients with hypothermia exhibited a higher rate of postoperative transfusion of at least three red cell concentrate units (14.3% vs 9%, p = 0.005), a longer intubation duration (median duration, 6 vs 5 h, p < 0.0001), and a longer intensive care unit stay (median stay, 1.6 vs 1.3 days, p = 0.008). There was no difference in reoperation for bleeding, renal replacement therapy, infections, and mortality between the two groups. Even though associated with a higher blood transfusion requirement and a slightly longer intensive care unit stay, mild postoperative hypothermia was not associated with a higher morbidity and mortality.

Statistical Analysis of the Axillary Temperatures Measured by a Predictive Electronic Thermometer in Healthy Japanese Adults.

Body temperature is important for diagnosing illnesses. However, its assessment is often a difficult task, considering the large individual differences. Although 37 °C has been the gold standard of body temperature for over a century, the temperature of modern people is reportedly decreasing year by year. However, a mean axillary temperature of 36.89 ± 0.34 °C reported in 1957 is still cited in Japan. To assess the measured axillary temperature appropriately, understanding its distribution in modern people is important. This study retrospectively analyzed 2454 axillary temperature measurement data of healthy Japanese adults in 2019 (age range, 20–79 years; 2258 males). Their mean temperature was 36.47 ± 0.28 °C (36.48 ± 0.27 °C in males and 36.35 ± 0.31 °C in females). Approximately 5% of the 20–39-year-old males had body temperature ≥37 °C, whereas 8% had a temperature ≥ 37 °C in the afternoon. However, none of the subjects aged ≥50 years reported body temperature ≥37 °C. In multivariable regression analysis, age, blood pressure, pulse rate, and measurement time of the day were associated with axillary temperature. Our data showed that the body temperature of modern Japanese adults was lower than that reported previously. When assessing body temperature, the age, blood pressure, pulse rate, and measurement time of the day should be considered.

Comparing Axillary and Rectal Temperature Measurements in Very Preterm Infants: A Prospective Observational Study

Purpose: The agreement between axillary temperature (AT) and rectal temperature (RT) measurements has not been well established in preterm infants. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the agreement between AT and RT measurements in very preterm infants. Methods: Preterm infants <32 weeks of gestational age were prospectively included. The infants’ body temperature (BT) was measured twice a day from day 1 to day 6. A paired t-test and the Bland-Altman method were used to analyze the difference between the AT and RT. A linear regression model was used to explore the effects of environmental factors on the differences of BT between the axillary and rectal measurements and to calibrate the RT according to the AT. Results: Eighty infants each underwent 6 paired axillary and rectal measurements. The gestational age varied from 22 to 31 weeks (mean 28 weeks). The birth weight varied from 302 to 1,770 g (mean 1,025 g). The AT was significantly lower than the RT. The difference between the RT and AT significantly increased with increasing RT. The AT and RT demonstrated poor agreement overall; however, the RT can be estimated using the AT with the following equation: RT = −4.033 + 1.116 × AT. Environmental factors, including the incubator temperature, incubator humidity, phototherapy, and application of invasive mechanical ventilation did not affect the differences between the AT and RT measurements. Conclusion: AT measurements cannot be interchangeably used with RT measurements in very preterm infants.

Comparison of rectal and axillary temperature measurements in preterm newborns

ObjectiveTo compare rectal and axillary temperatures in preterm newborns on admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).DesignSecondary analysis of data collected in a randomised controlled trial (RCT).SettingMaternity hospital, level...

Evaluation of associations between owner presence and indicators of fear in dogs during routine veterinary examinations.

To evaluate the influence of owner presence on behavioral and physiologic indicators of fear in dogs during routine physical examinations. 32 client-owned dogs. Dogs underwent a standardized, video-recorded examination consisting of 6 phases (examination of the head, lymph node palpation, body palpation, axillary temperature measurement, heart rate assessment, and respiratory rate assessment) with or without their owner present in a randomized, controlled study. Behaviors reported to be indicative of fear, including reduced posture, avoidance, escape, lip licking, body shaking, yawning, and vocalizing, were assessed during each phase, and physiologic measurements were assessed during relevant phases by the investigator. Owner presence and sex and age of dogs were investigated for associations with behavioral signs of fear; behavioral and physiologic measurements were compared between groups (owner present vs owner absent). Dogs in the owner-present group had a lower rate of vocalizations, lower mean axillary temperature, and higher rate of yawning than dogs in the owner-absent group. Female dogs in the owner-absent group had a higher heart rate than females and males in the owner-present group and males in the owner-absent group, and the rate of lip licking decreased as age increased in the owner-present group. The presence of reduced body posture and rates of lip licking, avoidance behavior, and escape behavior were associated with examination phase. Results suggested that, when practical, owners should be encouraged to remain with their dog during routine veterinary examinations. However, effects of owner presence during procedures require further investigation. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2020;257:1031-1040).

Axillary versus Rectal Temperature Monitoring in Patients Undergoing Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery under General Anesthesia

Background: Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is a common occurrence during procedures performed under general anesthesia. Core temperature monitoring via esophageal, nasopharyngeal, or rectal temperature measurement has been considered reliable methods. However, placing a temperature probe at these sites might be unsuitable for patients undergoing ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery. Objective: Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the correlation of axillary temperature with that of rectal temperature for temperature monitoring. Materials and Methods: Forty adults with the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III that underwent ENT surgery were enrolled. All patients got standard perioperative warming procedures. Intraoperative axillary and rectal temperature measurements were concurrently obtained at 15-minute intervals. The data were analyzed using Pearson or Spearman correlation and repeated measures Bland-Altman analysis. Results: Axillary and rectal temperatures were well correlated with each other (r=0.549, R²=0.301, p&lt;0.001). The Bland-Altman plot showed that the mean axillary temperature was 0.9℃ less than the mean rectal temperature. Overall, the 95% limit of agreement was 3.4℃ (–2.6 to 0.9), yielding a relatively poor agreement between axillary and rectal temperatures. Nevertheless, the mean bias was reduced to 0.6℃ when the measurements obtained 90 minutes after anesthesia induction were separately analyzed. Conclusion: Under standard warming procedures, axillary temperature monitoring may correlate well with rectal temperature starting of 90 minutes after induction of general anesthesia in patients that underwent elective ENT surgery with the difference of 0.6℃. Keywords: Axillary temperature, General anesthesia, Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia

Clinical usefulness of axillary temperature measurement method in cats

Clinical usefulness of axillary temperature measurement method in cats

Ingestible sensors correlate closely with peripheral temperature measurements in febrile patients

Reliable non-invasive methods for measuring body temperature are essential for the diagnosis and monitoring of infectious disease. This study used Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and the Bland- Altman plot to analyse the agreement between temperature measurements using an ingestible capsule sensor, a skin sensor and two non-invasive peripheral temperature measurements (axillary and infrared non-contact), collected from a population of febrile patient admitted for infectious disease. Of the 77 febrile patients screened, 26 patients were enrolled. The ICC between axillary temperature measurements (Taxi) vs. non-contact measurements (Tno-c) were 0.34 [-0.18; 0.63], 0.87 [0.55; 0.94] between Taxi vs. ingestible capsule measurements (Tcap) and 0.12 [-0.09; 0.37] between Taxi vs. Tetac. The mean difference between Taxi vs Tno-c was -1.18°C with limits of agreement (LoA) from -2.96 to 0.58°C. The mean difference between Taxi vs Tcap was 0.48°C, with LoA from -0.60 to 1.56 °C. The mean difference between Taxi vs Tetac was -4.23°C with LoA from -7.22 to -1.23 °C. Ingestible capsule measurements are reliable enough to adequately estimate the core body temperature in clinical practice. Its non-invasiveness, and the real-time remote control offer new opportunities for future research into fever during infectious diseases.

202. The effectiveness of combination therapy of anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents and β-lactam agents in patients complicated with febrile neutropenia after bone marrow transplantation

BackgroundFebrile neutropenia (FN) is one of the most frequent and serious complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation such as bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Anti-Pseudomonas agents should be initiated in all patients complicated with FN without delay, while anti–methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) agents are exclusively recommended in the case of central venous (CV) line infection. Most BMT patients have the potential risk of catheter-related blood stream infection because of long-lasting catheterization including indwelling CV line. Therefore, the patients may also be received anti-MRSA agents empirically in addition to anti-Pseudomonas agents. So far, there are little reports that verify the effectiveness of the combination therapy under FN condition after BMT. The purpose of this study was to address the effectiveness.MethodsBMT was performed at Yokohama City University Medical Center between April 2012 and March 2018, and 44 patients who developed FN after BMT were enrolled. We analyzed patient information retrospectively. We used the duration of fever to evaluate the additive effect of anti-MRSA agents to β-lactam anti-Pseudomonas agents. We classified the patients during FN period into two groups whether anti-MRSA agents were administered (Ad group; 34 patients) or not (non-Ad group; 10 patients). Fever is defined as a single axillary temperature measurement of over 37.5 Celsius degrees. The study design and protocol were approved by the ethics committee at the Review Board of our hospital (ID：D1602011).ResultsBaseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. Blood cultures were performed onset of FN in all cases, in which five showed positive (11.4%). Bacteria requiring administration of anti-MRSA drugs were detected in the four cases. Nonetheless, duration of fever was not significantly shorten (6.8 ± 4.0 vs. 5.2 ± 2.5, P = 0.171) and there was no difference in the hospitalization period. The renal dysfunction was significantly higher in Ad group and the cost of anti-MRSA agents totaled about $ 36,000.ConclusionOur study indicates that no use of empirical combination therapy of anti-MRSA agents in addition to anti-Pseudomonas agents under FN condition after BMT, even if CV line is inserted. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Symptomatic Management of Febrile Illnesses in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Parents' Knowledge and Behaviors and Their Evolution Over Time.

Recommendations to guide parents' symptomatic management of febrile illnesses in children have been published in many countries. The lack of systematic appraisal of parents' knowledge and behaviors and their evolution over time precludes an analysis of their impact and identification of targets for future educational messages. We systematically searched for studies published between 1980 and 2016 that reported a quantitative evaluation of knowledge and behaviors of >50 parents for managing fever in children. We used MEDLINE and tracked related articles, citations and co-authors personal files. Study selection and data extraction were independently performed by two reviewers. For each item of knowledge and behaviors, we calculated mean frequencies during the first and last quinquennials of the studied period and assessed temporal trends with inverse-variance weighted linear regression of frequencies over years. We observed substantial methodological heterogeneity among the 62 included articles (64 primary studies, 36,791 participants, 30 countries) that met inclusion criteria. Statistically significant changes over time were found in the use of rectal (98 to 4%) and axillary temperature measurement (1–19%), encouraging fluid intake (19–62%), and use of acetylsalicylic acid (60 to 1%). No statistically significant change was observed for the accurate definition of fever (38–55%), or the use of acetaminophen (91–92%) or ibuprofen (20–43%). Parents' knowledge and behaviors have changed over time but continue to show poor concordance with recommendations. Our study identified future targets for educational messages, including basic ones such as the definition of fever.

Multiple Aspects of Expanding the Accuracy of Axillary Temperature Measurement Methods

Background: The current study aimed to explore the importance of mother-child relationship and influencing factors regarding the acquisition of the correct axillary temperature measurement method. Methods: Participants were 236 university students. The students completed a first self-administered questionnaire and measured their axillary body temperature for one week. Following this, participants watched an educational video, measured their axillary temperature for an additional week, and completed a second self-administered questionnaire. In total, 102 participants completed both questionnaires and 84 of also completed two axillary temperature measurements. Results: The mean axillary temperature data increased after the intervention. Additionally, the “trust” and “dependence” components of the current mother-child relationship were significantly associated with the agreement of the body temperature measurement method utilized by the participants and their mothers. Regarding the body temperature measurement method, 75 participants reported that the problem in measuring body temperature was that the palm could not be kept facing upwards, with 43 responding that keeping the palm facing upwards should be emphasized in proper education on temperature measurement method. Conclusions: The current results imply that a mother’s health practices may influence the acquisition of children’s health behaviors among good mother-child relationships. Current mothers and those planning to care for children in the future should be targeted for fundamental health education. In addition, stressing “palm faces upwards” could be helpful for obtaining an accurate body temperature measurement. Moreover, watching instructional videos could be an effective tool for the education of proper technique.

Comparison of Oral and Axillary Temperatures in Intubated Pediatric Patients

PurposeAccurate body temperature measurement is essential in providing timely care to critically ill patients. Current practice within the Pediatric ICU (PICU) at a Midwestern academic medical center is to obtain axillary temperatures in endotracheally intubated patients. According to research, axillary temperatures have greater variance than other forms of temperature measurement. Research in adult patients show that oral temperature measurement in endotracheally intubated patients is acceptable as the heated gases from the ventilator has no significant effect on measured temperatures. This study sought to determine if the same is true in pediatrics. Design and MethodsOral and axillary temperatures of endotracheally intubated pediatric patients were obtained during unit prescribed vital assessment intervals. Patients were divided into neonate, infant, and children age groups with 25 sets of temperatures obtained for each group. Descriptive statistics and Bland-Altman plot interpretation were performed to determine confidence intervals for each age group. ResultsBland-Altman plot analysis of oral and axillary routes of temperature measurement showed a high positive correlation within all age groups studied. The infant age group showed lower correlation in comparison to neonates and children. The infant age group also had an outlier of data sets with lower oral temperatures as compared to the axilla. ConclusionsOral temperature measurement is a viable alternative to axillary temperature measurement in endotracheally intubated pediatric patients. Correction factors for age groups were calculated for prediction of axillary temperature based on measured oral temperature. Practical implicationsThis study serves as evidence for practice change within the studied unit.