This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Comparison of Supralingual With Rectal Temperatures in Infants and Young Children

Shirley Press, MD; Bruce J. Quinn, MD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151(6):551-554.

Abstract
Objective
To determine the correlation between supralingual temperatures obtained with a new electronic pacifier thermometer (Steridyne) and rectal temperatures obtained with a digital electronic thermometer.

Design
Prospective study.

Setting
Pediatric emergency department and pediatric inpatient ward of a tertiary university hospital.

Participants
Convenience sample of 100 patients, aged 7 days to 24 months.

Main Outcome Measures
A supralingual and rectal temperature were obtained for each patient. For the first 30 patients, the time needed for the pacifier thermometer to signal a final, steady-state reading was recorded.

Results
The mean±SD difference between rectal temperatures and supralingual temperatures adjusted upward by 0.5°F was –0.01°F±0.42°F (statistically zero) (95% confidence interval, –0.09°F to 0.07°F). The correlation coefficient between supralingual and rectal temperatures was 0.95. Sensitivity and specificity of the pacifier thermometer for detecting fever (temperature 100.4°F [38.0°C]) was 72.0% and 98.0%, respectively (positive predictive value, 97.3%; negative predictive value, 77.8%). Increasing supralingual temperatures by 0.5°F increased sensitivity to 92.0%, and decreased specificity to 76.0% (positive predictive value, 79.3%; negative predictive value, 90.5%). It took an average time of 3 minutes 23 seconds for the pacifier thermometer to display a steady-state temperature.

Conclusions
The pacifier thermometer evaluated here was found to be an accurate means of temperature measurement when recorded temperatures were adjusted upward by 0.5°F. The approximate 3 minutes required for a final temperature determination makes the pacifier thermometer most appropriate for use in low-volume ambulatory care settings and in the home. Further investigation of this device is recommended.

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151:551-554

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Fla.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Accuracy of a Noninvasive Temporal Artery Thermometer for Use in Infants
Greenes and Fleisher
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001;155:376-381.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pacifier Thermometer Comment
Chamberlain et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152:206-207.
FULL TEXT  

A PACIFIER THERMOMETER
JWatch General 1997;1997:4-4.
FULL TEXT  

The Pacifier Thermometer: Will It Be Useful?
Rice
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1997;151:543-544.
ABSTRACT