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Rectal and Bladder Temperatures vs Forehead Core Temperatures Measured With SpotOn Monitoring System
Hildy M Schell-Chaple1, Kathleen D Liu2, Michael A Matthay2
1Hildy M. Schell-Chaple is a clinical nurse specialist and an associate professor of nursing, University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California. Kathleen D. Liu is a professor of medicine and Michael A. Matthay is a professor of medicine and anesthesia, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California. Kathleen A. Puntillo is professor emeritus, University of California, San Fran-cisco School of Nursing, San Francisco, California. Hildegarde.schell-chaple@ucsf.edu.
The SpotOn system, a noninvasive zero-heat-flux thermometer, shows excellent agreement and precision for continuous core temperature monitoring in intensive care unit patients. It is a viable alternative to traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Thermometry Technology
Background:
- Temperature monitoring in intensive care units (ICUs) lacks standardized methods.
- The SpotOn system offers noninvasive, continuous core temperature monitoring using zero-heat-flux technology.
- This technology is crucial for critical care patients susceptible to temperature dysregulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the agreement and precision of the SpotOn zero-heat-flux system.
- To compare SpotOn with continuous rectal and urinary bladder thermometry.
- To evaluate performance during fever and defervescence in adult ICU patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective comparison study design.
- Inclusion of adult ICU patients in a randomized clinical trial.
- Paired temperature measurements using SpotOn, rectal, and bladder thermometry.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 748 paired measurements from 38 patients.
- SpotOn demonstrated a mean difference of -0.07°C vs. bladder and -0.24°C vs. rectal thermometry.
- Temperature differences were within ±0.5°C for 96% (bladder) and 85% (rectal) of measurements.
Conclusions:
- The SpotOn system exhibits excellent agreement and good precision.
- It presents a promising noninvasive alternative for continuous core temperature monitoring in ICUs.
- SpotOn is particularly valuable when conventional methods are contraindicated or unavailable.
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