[Infrared tympanic thermometry--worse than reported?].

A comparison of parallel measurements of body temperature with infrared tympanic thermometry (First Temp 2000A) in both ears and with rectal mercury thermometer were performed in 100 patients with stroke (n = 60) or spinal cord injury (n = 40). Agreement between the two methods of temperature determination was assessed by calculating limits of agreement within which 95% (+/- 2 SD) of the individual differences would fall. Ear temperature was on average 0.3 +/- 1.0 (2 SD) degrees C above rectal temperature (p < 0.01). The upper and lower limits of agreement between the two methods were -0.7 degrees C and +1.3 degrees C, respectively. Mean difference between ear temperature in right and left ear was 0.0 +/- 0.7 (2 SD) degrees C. According to these results tympanic membrane temperature measured with First Temp 2000A appears to give clinical significant erroneous readings, and should be used with caution.