Core Temperature: Are Tympanic Measurements Good Enough?

Core measurement is the preferred method for assessing temperature. Measurement through a pulmonary artery catheter is the gold standard, but its invasiveness makes this approach impractical. Rectal and urinary measurement of core temperature is more practical in the emergency department; however, peripheral measurement, such as by oral, axillary, and, especially, tympanic routes, is easiest. In a prospective, observational study of 110 critically ill patients, researchers compared the accuracy of tympanic, axillary, and urinary measurements with that of pulmonary artery measurement.

A total of 6703 measurements were obtained. Compared to pulmonary artery values, accuracy was high for urinary (0.92), moderate for axillary (0.83), and low for…