Reisinger K S, Kao J, Grant D M
Pediatrics. 1979 Jul;64(1):4-6.
The Clinitemp Fever Detector (Clinitemp) is a newly marketed thermometer consisting of plasticencased thermophototropic esters of cholesterol that change color over a specific short-range of temperature. The manufacturer states that the instrument can identify fever by measuring skin temperature in children. On the basis of a patient's report of one inaccurate Clinitemp, we undertook to investigate the accuracy of this thermometer. One hundred fifty-two children presenting to the Children's Hospital Emergency Room had their temperature taken with two thermometers, an electronic thermometer that had been checked for accuracy with a National Bureau of Standards thermometer and the Clinitemp. Clinitemps, purchased over a two-month period from three pharmacies, were tested on different children. Thirteen of thirty children (43%) with fever (rectal temperature greater than or equal to 38.3 C (101 F) or oral temperature greater than or equal to (37.8 C) (100 F) identified by the electronic thermometer, were correctly classified as having fever using the Clinitemp. When fever was defined to include children with a rectal temperature greater than or equal to 38.0 C (100.5 F) or an oral temperature of greater than or equal to 37.4 C (99.5 F), the Clinitemp correctly identified 13 (32.5%) of 40 children with fever. There appears to be an appreciable risk that someone with a serious illness may delay seeking medical attention on the basis of a normal temperature as measured by the Clinitemp.
Clinitemp发热探测器（Clinitemp）是一种新上市的温度计，由包裹在塑料中的胆固醇热致变色酯组成，这些酯在特定的短温度范围内会改变颜色。制造商称该仪器可通过测量儿童的皮肤温度来识别发热情况。基于一名患者关于一支Clinitemp不准确的报告，我们着手调查该温度计的准确性。152名到儿童医院急诊室就诊的儿童用两种温度计测量体温，一种是经国家标准局温度计校准过准确性的电子温度计，另一种是Clinitemp。从三家药店在两个月内购买的Clinitemp在不同儿童身上进行了测试。电子温度计测出的30名发热儿童（直肠温度大于或等于38.3℃（101℉）或口腔温度大于或等于37.8℃（100℉））中，有13名（43%）用Clinitemp正确分类为发热。当将发热定义为包括直肠温度大于或等于38.0℃（100.5℉）或口腔温度大于或等于37.4℃（99.5℉）的儿童时，Clinitemp正确识别出40名发热儿童中的13名（32.5%）。似乎存在相当大的风险，即患有严重疾病的人可能会根据Clinitemp测量的正常体温而延迟就医。
