Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability
<p><strong>Background:</strong> Guidelines recommend the measurement of temperature in children presenting with fever symptoms using electronic axillary, or tympanic thermometers. Non-contact thermometry offers advantages yet have not been tested against the recommended methods in...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Royal College of General Practitioners
2020
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| _version_ | 1826258099543998464 |
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| author | Hayward, G Verbakel, J Abakar-Ismail, F Edwards, G Wang, K Fleming, S Holtman, G Glogowska, M Morris, E Curtis, K Van Den Bruel, A |
| author_facet | Hayward, G Verbakel, J Abakar-Ismail, F Edwards, G Wang, K Fleming, S Holtman, G Glogowska, M Morris, E Curtis, K Van Den Bruel, A |
| author_sort | Hayward, G |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p><strong>Background:</strong> Guidelines recommend the measurement of temperature in children presenting with fever symptoms using electronic axillary, or tympanic thermometers. Non-contact thermometry offers advantages yet have not been tested against the recommended methods in primary care.</p> <p><strong>Aim:</strong> To compare two different non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) to axillary and tympanic thermometers in children aged 5 or under attending their GP with an acute illness.</p> <p><strong>Design and setting:</strong> Prospective design in primary care.</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong> Methods comparison study with nested qualitative component.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> 401 children were recruited (median age 1.6 years, 50.62% boys). The mean difference between the Thermofocus NCIT and axillary thermometer was -0.14°C (95% CI -0.21 to -0.06); the lower limit of agreement was -1.57°C (95% CI -1.69 to -1.44) and the upper limit 1.29°C (95% CI 1.16 to 1.42). A second NCIT (Firhealth) had similar levels of agreement. However, the limits of agreement between tympanic and axillary thermometers were also wide. Parents expressed a preference for the practicality and comfort afforded by NCITs, and were predominantly negative about their child’s experience of axillary thermometers. However, there was a willingness to adopt whichever device was medically recommended. Conclusions In a primary care paediatric population, temperature measurements with NCITs varied by over a degree Celsius compared to axillary and tympanic approaches. However, there was also poor agreement between tympanic and axillary thermometers. Since clinical guidelines often rely on specific fever thresholds, clinicians should interpret peripheral thermometer readings with caution, and in the context of an holistic assessment of the child.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:28:40Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:08df79e9-da44-4678-8182-396ac6efa25e |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:28:40Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Royal College of General Practitioners |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:08df79e9-da44-4678-8182-396ac6efa25e2022-03-26T09:15:16ZNon-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptabilityJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:08df79e9-da44-4678-8182-396ac6efa25eEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordRoyal College of General Practitioners2020Hayward, GVerbakel, JAbakar-Ismail, FEdwards, GWang, KFleming, SHoltman, GGlogowska, MMorris, ECurtis, KVan Den Bruel, A<p><strong>Background:</strong> Guidelines recommend the measurement of temperature in children presenting with fever symptoms using electronic axillary, or tympanic thermometers. Non-contact thermometry offers advantages yet have not been tested against the recommended methods in primary care.</p> <p><strong>Aim:</strong> To compare two different non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) to axillary and tympanic thermometers in children aged 5 or under attending their GP with an acute illness.</p> <p><strong>Design and setting:</strong> Prospective design in primary care.</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong> Methods comparison study with nested qualitative component.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> 401 children were recruited (median age 1.6 years, 50.62% boys). The mean difference between the Thermofocus NCIT and axillary thermometer was -0.14°C (95% CI -0.21 to -0.06); the lower limit of agreement was -1.57°C (95% CI -1.69 to -1.44) and the upper limit 1.29°C (95% CI 1.16 to 1.42). A second NCIT (Firhealth) had similar levels of agreement. However, the limits of agreement between tympanic and axillary thermometers were also wide. Parents expressed a preference for the practicality and comfort afforded by NCITs, and were predominantly negative about their child’s experience of axillary thermometers. However, there was a willingness to adopt whichever device was medically recommended. Conclusions In a primary care paediatric population, temperature measurements with NCITs varied by over a degree Celsius compared to axillary and tympanic approaches. However, there was also poor agreement between tympanic and axillary thermometers. Since clinical guidelines often rely on specific fever thresholds, clinicians should interpret peripheral thermometer readings with caution, and in the context of an holistic assessment of the child.</p> |
| spellingShingle | Hayward, G Verbakel, J Abakar-Ismail, F Edwards, G Wang, K Fleming, S Holtman, G Glogowska, M Morris, E Curtis, K Van Den Bruel, A Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
| title | Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
| title_full | Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
| title_fullStr | Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
| title_short | Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
| title_sort | non contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care a mixed methods study of accuracy and acceptability |
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