Comparison of Conventional Mercury Thermometer and Continuous TherCom® Temperature Recording in Hospitalized Patients
Published: September 1, 2016 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2016/21617.8586
Pradeepa H Dakappa, Gopalkrishna K Bhat, Ganaraja Bolumbu,
Sathish B Rao, Sushma Adappa, Chakrapani Mahabala
1. Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
2. Additional Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
3. Additional Professor, Department of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
4. Additional Professor, Department of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
5. Research Assistant, Department of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
6. Professor, Department of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Correspondence
Dr. Chakrapani Mahabala,
Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Hampankatta,
Mangalore- 575001, Karnataka, India.
E-mail: chakrapani.m@manipal.edu
Introduction: Detection of accurate body temperature fluctu-ations in hospitalized patients is crucial for appropriate clinical decision-making. The accuracy and reliability of body temperature assessment may significantly affect the proper treatment.
Aim: To compare the conventional and continuous body temperature recordings in hospitalized patients.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at a tertiary care centre and study included 55 patients aged between 18-65 years with a history of fever admitted to a tertiary care hospital. A noninvasive continuous temperature recording was done using TherCom® device through tympanic temperature probe at tympanic site at one-minute intervals for 24 hours. The conventional temperatures were recorded in the axilla using mercury thermometer at specific time intervals at 12:00 noon, 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Peak temperature differences between continuous and conventional methods were compared by applying Independent sample t-test. Intra class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) test was performed to assess the reliability between two temperature-monitoring methods. A p<0.05 was considered as significant.
Results: The average peak temperature by non-invasive continuous recording method was 39.07°C ±0.76°C while it was 37.55°C ±0.62°C by the conventional method. A significant temperature difference of 1.52°C [p<0.001;95% CI(1.26-1.78)] was observed between continuous and conventional temperature methods. Intra class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) between continuous and conventional temperature readings at 12:00 noon was a= 0.540, which had moderate reliability. The corresponding coefficients at 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM were a=0.425 and 0.435, respectively, which had poor reliability.
Conclusion: The conventional recording of temperature is routinely practiced and does not reflect the true temperature fluctuations. However, the continuous non-invasive temperature recording is simple, inexpensive and a better tool for recording the actual temperature changes.
[
FULL TEXT ] | [ PDF]