[Central and peripheral temperature in pediatrics (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Medicine
• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Context:

• Limited literature exists on normal differential temperature values in pediatric populations.
• Accurate assessment of peripheral perfusion is crucial for early shock detection in children.
• Non-invasive and economical monitoring methods are needed for pediatric critical care.

Purpose:

• To establish normal ranges for differential temperatures (central vs. peripheral) in children across different age groups.
• To evaluate the utility of differential temperature as an indicator of peripheral perfusion.
• To provide a simple, non-aggressive method for monitoring shock syndrome in pediatric patients.

Summary:

• Rectal and toe-tip peripheral temperatures were measured in 100 normovolemic children (0-8 years) across four age groups.
• Differential temperatures (delta T) were calculated: Group I (1-30 days): 6.08°C ± 1.74°C; Group II (1-12 months): 5.91°C ± 2.04°C; Group III (1-3 years): 5.39°C ± 2.14°C; Group IV (3-8 years): 4.78°C ± 2.14°C.
• These findings indicate that differential temperature is a sensitive measure of peripheral perfusion.

Impact:

• Provides essential reference data for normal differential temperatures in pediatric patients.
• Highlights the potential of differential temperature measurement as an early, sensitive, and non-invasive shock monitoring tool.
• Offers a cost-effective and easily implementable method for clinicians to assess pediatric peripheral perfusion and shock status.