Comparison of body temperature with axillary and tympanic measurement methods in adult patients admitted to the hospital

In the present study, we attempted to compare the methods and devices used to determine body temperature measurement values in humans. The methods and devices used to determine body temperatures in hospitalized adult patients are desired to be reliable, easy and comfortable for the patients and users, easy to implement with no interference, cheaper, and generating results in a short time. Moreover, measurement-results should not alter depending on the person taking the measurements and be consistent. In the current study, we aimed to compare different properties of the body temperature measurements taken with axillary digital contact thermometer and infrared tympanic thermometers. The study group contained the adult patients hospitalized in the Infectious Disease Clinics at the Medical School of Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey. Body temperatures of the patients were obtained using axillary digital contact thermometer and infrared tympanic thermometer simultaneously. The measurements of two different thermometers were quantitatively and qualitatively compared without disturbing the patients. While quantitatively measured values were evaluated in C° (Celsius), the quality of the measurements were evaluated through comparing comfort of the thermometers for the patients and the users, measurement times, their dependability and accuracy. The present study was completed with a total of 111 adult patients (older than 18 years of age) over a 6-month period. A total of 1889 measurements were performed with an average of 17.02 times for each patient. The current results showed that the measurement values of the axillary thermometers were 0.22 C° lower than those of the infrared tympanic thermometers. The difference between the body temperatures obtained with two different thermometers was statistically significant (p <0.001). For the qualitative evaluations, we noted that axillary digital contact thermometer was more uncomfortable since longer time was needed for taking the temperature and its usage had potential for skin irritation when compared to the infrared tympanic thermometers. Although the use of the infrared tympanic thermometers was considered to be a more convenient approach for the patients, the patients should be rested in a sitting position or vertical position for 11-12 minutes before measurement, which is an important detail in terms of obtaining accurate measurements of body temperature. If health givers suspect about the accuracy of the body temperature values obtained with the infrared tympanic thermometers, the measurements should be confirmed with the axillary digital contact thermometer.