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[Central and peripheral temperature in pediatrics (author's transl)]
Insights
Differential temperature measurements in children establish normal values for assessing peripheral perfusion. This method offers an early, non-invasive indicator for monitoring shock syndrome in pediatric patients.
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.
Abstract:
Because of the absence of enough data in the literature of normal values of differential temperature in the pediatric age, authors have registred rectal temperature and peripheral temperature on the tip of the great toe with the use of a thermistor as well as differential temperatures between both of them in 100 children which were divided in four groups depending upon the ages. All of these children had clinical evidence of normovolemia. All the tempertaure recordings were done under constant temperature and constant environmental humidity. The following data were found: Group I (newborn infants between 1-30 days): delta T = 6.08 degrees C; +/- 1.74 SD. Group II (infants between 1-12 months); delta T = 5.91 degrees C; +/- 2.0350 SD. Group III (children between 1-3 years): delta T = 5.39 degrees C; +/- 2.14 SD. Group IV (children between 3-8 years): delta T = 4.78 degrees C; +/- 2.14 SD. Difference between central and peripheral temperatures recorded at constant environmental temperature and humidity is an early and sensible measure of peripheral perfussion degree and is an easy economical and non-aggressive method of monitoring shock syndrome in children.