Can a non-contact infrared thermometer be used interchangeably with other thermometers in an adult Emergency Department?

Summary Introduction Thermofocus ® (Tecnimed, Italy) is a non-contact thermometer licensed for use in babies and adults. Accuracy of this instrument in adults is uncertain. Objective To perform a pilot study to assess the reliability and validity of Thermofocus ® in an adult Emergency Department (ED) population. Methods Temperatures were measured on a convenience sample of ED and ICU patients. In the ED group, paired Thermofocus ® readings and a single SureTemp ® (Welch Allyn, USA) oral temperature reading were taken a minute apart. In the ICU group, paired Thermofocus ® readings and a single Mon-a-therm Foley-Temp ® catheter (Tyco Healthcare, USA) reading were taken a minute apart. Reliability and validity of Thermofocus ® measurements were assessed. Results Seventy-four SureTemp ® readings in ED ranged from 35.4 to 37.8°C (mean 36.6°C, S.D. 0.5°C). Nineteen Mon-a-therm Foley-Temp ® readings in ICU ranged from 35.0 to 39.5°C (mean 37.7°C, S.D. 0.3°C). The mean difference between paired Thermofocus ® readings was 0.00°C (S.D. 0.15°C) with limits of agreement between −0.30 and +0.30°C. Thermofocus ® read 0.87°C (S.D. 0.58°C) and 1.17°C (S.D. 0.67°C) lower than SureTemp ® and Mon-a-therm Foley-Temp ® catheter, respectively. Conclusion Thermofocus ® measurements were reliable. The study showed poor agreement (i.e. low validity) between temperatures measured by Thermofocus ® when compared to the other thermometers in use currently at our institution.

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