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Temporal Artery Thermometry Utilization in Pediatric Emergency Care

Pediatric Department, Medical University of South Carolina, titusda{at}musc.edu

Thomas Hulsey, MSPH, ScD

Epidemiology Department, Medical University of South Carolina

Julie Heckman, RN

Medical University of South Carolina and Children's Hospital Charleston, South Carolina

Joseph D. Losek, MD

Pediatric Department, Medical University of South Carolina

Objective To determine the effectiveness of temporal artery thermometry (TAT) as an alternative for temperature assessment of children 1 to 4 years of age in the pediatric emergency department.

Methods Prospective cross-sectional study conducted at an urban children's hospital emergency department. TAT and rectal temperatures are compared in a convenience sample of children 1 to 4 years of age. Comparison of the temperatures is performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis.

Results TAT and rectal temperatures are measured in 42 children 1 to 4 years of age. TAT predicts 83% of rectal temperatures. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis shows that a cutoff of 37.7°C or greater for fever in TAT is equivalent to rectal temperature greater than or equal to 38.3°C with 100% sensitivity and 93.5% specificity.

Conclusion TAT is an effective screening tool in identifying fever in children 1 to 4 years of age.

Key Words: temperature measurement • temporal artery • pediatric • emergency care

This version was published on March 1, 2009

Clinical Pediatrics, Vol. 48, No. 2, 190-193 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0009922808327056


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