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  • Title: Lack of agreement between tympanic and oral temperature measurements in adult hospitalized patients.
    Author: Manian FA, Griesenauer S.
    Journal: Am J Infect Control; 1998 Aug; 26(4):428-30. PubMed ID: 9721397.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare temperature measurements obtained by tympanic thermometers with those obtained by oral electronic or mercury-glass thermometers in adult hospitalized patients. METHODS: A prospective study of 406 nonintensive care unit adult patients hospitalized during an 8-month period in a tertiary care community medical center. RESULTS: Poor agreement was observed between tympanic versus electronic thermometer reading, with 95% limits of agreement of -2.11 degrees F to +2.81 degrees F. Similarly, poor agreement was observed between tympanic versus oral mercury-glass temperatures, with 95% limits of agreement of -1.72 degrees F and +2.64 degrees F oral electronic temperatures 100 degrees F (37.7 degrees C) or higher, 10 (37%, 95% confidence interval 19% to 58%) readings were 99.5 degrees F (37.5 degrees C) or lower, and six (22%, 95% confidence interval 9% to 42%) measured lower than 98.6 degrees F by tympanic thermometers. CONCLUSIONS: Temperatures measured by tympanic thermometers generally have poor agreement with those measured by oral electronic or mercury-glass thermometers in adult hospitalized patients. We recommend the tympanic thermometers not by used for routine screening for fever in this patient population.
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