A comparison of mid-forehead and axillary temperatures in newborn intensive care.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate accuracy of mid-forehead (MFH) thermometry compared with digital axilla (DAT) temperatures in infants in newborn intensive care.

STUDY

DESIGN

A comparative study of MFH and DAT temperatures of newborn infants receiving tertiary-level intensive care. All admissions were considered and the following exclusion criteria applied: 'in extremis', hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or non-English-speaking parents. Foot temperatures, infant and environmental variables were measured.

RESULT: In all, 783 readings were obtained in 100 infants with a birth weight range 515 to 4885 g (mean 2152 g). The between-person correlation was 0.30 (P < 0.001) and the within-person correlation was 0.52 (P < 0.001). Bland-Altman plots showed wide 95% confidence intervals in the differences between MFH and DAT measurements (-0.87 to 1.16 °C). Differences were affected by infant variables measured. MFH more accurately predicted DAT measurements in smaller neonates and were less accurate in neonates requiring Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).

CONCLUSION

MFH thermometry is not able to replace DAT temperature recording in the newborn intensive care.