van Staaij Birgit K, Rovers Maroeska M, Schilder Anne G, Hoes Arno W
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center (stratenum 6.131), PO Box 85060, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2003 Oct;67(10):1091-7. doi: 10.1016/s0165-5876(03)00198-8.
Fever is an important physical sign in infectious diseases in childhood. Daily assessment of fever may be used to monitor the occurrence of infections for research purposes. The infrared tympanic membrane thermometer (ITT) seems ideal for measuring central body temperature. Its accuracy, however, is still debated, and the feasibility of daily temperature measurements with an ITT has not been described.
To determine the accuracy and feasibility of daily infrared tympanic membrane temperature measurements at home.
Tympanic membrane temperature was measured by the Braun Pro 3000, rectal temperature by the Omron MC 63. To establish the accuracy of the ITT, rectal and tympanic membrane temperature measurements were performed in 41 children, aged 2-10 years. To establish the feasibility of daily infrared tympanic temperature measurements at home, parents of 21 children performed daily measurements for 2 weeks.
With fever defined as a body temperature of > or =38.0 degrees C, sensitivity was 93.3%, specificity 92%, positive predictive value 87.5%, negative predictive value 95.8%, and the concordance rate 92.5%. Most of the parents found the instructions for the use of the ITT clear (93%) and the ITT easy to use (86%). During the test period of 2 weeks the technique of the tympanic membrane temperature measurements remained adequate in 93% of the parents.
The tympanic membrane temperature measured by the Braun Pro 3000 accurately reflects rectal temperature, validly assesses the presence of fever in children, and is easy to use. The Braun ITT therefore is an adequate tool to assess fever and may be used both in a clinical setting and for research purposes.
发热是儿童传染病的一项重要体征。为研究目的，每日评估发热情况可用于监测感染的发生。红外鼓膜温度计（ITT）似乎是测量中心体温的理想工具。然而，其准确性仍存在争议，且尚未有关于使用ITT进行每日体温测量的可行性描述。
确定在家中每日进行红外鼓膜温度测量的准确性和可行性。
使用博朗Pro 3000测量鼓膜温度，欧姆龙MC 63测量直肠温度。为确定ITT的准确性，对41名2至10岁儿童进行了直肠和鼓膜温度测量。为确定在家中每日进行红外鼓膜温度测量的可行性，21名儿童的家长进行了为期2周的每日测量。
将发热定义为体温≥38.0℃时，敏感性为93.3%，特异性为92%，阳性预测值为87.5%，阴性预测值为95.8%，符合率为92.5%。大多数家长认为ITT的使用说明清晰（93%）且ITT易于使用（86%）。在为期2周的测试期间，93%的家长鼓膜温度测量技术保持良好。
博朗Pro 3000测量的鼓膜温度能准确反映直肠温度，有效评估儿童是否发热，且易于使用。因此，博朗ITT是评估发热的合适工具，可用于临床环境和研究目的。
