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[Body temperature measurement. Rectal--oral?].

H Bagger1

  • 1Centralsygehuset i Silkeborg, Medicinsk Afdeling.

Ugeskrift for Laeger
|February 26, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Oral temperature measurements using electronic thermometers are unreliable for detecting fever. Rectal temperature measurements are more accurate and recommended for clinical practice to ensure proper patient diagnosis and care.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Devices
  • Clinical Thermometry
  • Patient Monitoring

Background:

  • Accurate body temperature measurement is crucial for diagnosing and managing febrile illnesses.
  • Routine oral temperature monitoring is common in clinical settings, often using electronic thermometers.
  • Concerns exist regarding the reliability of oral temperature readings compared to core body temperature measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the reliability of oral temperature measurements taken by nursing staff using electronic thermometers.
  • To compare oral temperature readings with concurrent rectal temperature measurements.
  • To identify potential discrepancies and their clinical implications.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving two groups of patients.
  • Oral temperatures were measured by nursing staff using electronic thermometers.
  • Rectal temperatures were subsequently measured by the author using a mercury thermometer.
  • Patients were unaware of the specific investigation into thermometer accuracy.

Main Results:

  • A significant number of patients exhibited false-normal oral temperatures.
  • In patients suspected of fever, 3 out of 6 with normal oral temperatures had elevated rectal temperatures (≥38°C).
  • In patients with normal morning oral temperatures, 7 out of 11 had slightly elevated rectal temperatures (37.1-37.3°C).
  • Rectal temperatures were ≥1°C higher than oral temperatures in a substantial proportion of patients (5/12 and 4/11).

Conclusions:

  • Oral temperature measurement with electronic thermometers can be unreliable due to external influences.
  • Discrepancies between oral and rectal temperatures may lead to misinterpretation of fever status.
  • Rectal temperature measurement remains the preferred method for accurate body temperature assessment.
  • While mercury thermometers pose environmental concerns, electronic thermometer disposables also present waste issues.

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