Comparison of Axillary Temperature with Oral Temperature and Determination of Optimum Placement Time of Thermometer in Adults of Teaching Hospital, Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Accurate temperature measurement is important to person, in whom suspicion of infection could result in investigations, administration of antibiotics, and even hospital admission. This study was done with the aim to determine the optimal dwell time of the thermometer in oral and axillary sites required to accurately reflect the stabilized core body temperature.

Method: Cross-sectional survey of 113 adult patients was done who were admitted in Manmohan Cardio- Thoracic Vascular and Transplant Center (MCTVC) in the period between 16thJuly to August2013. Ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of TUIOM and permission from the respective hospital authority was taken before data collection. Conventional glass mercury thermometer were checked and brought to 95 degree of Fahrenheit before each measurement of the temperature. Two thermometers were simultaneously placed in oral cavity and in the axillary skin sites. Reading of the oral temperature was done in 1 and 3 minutes, similarly, reading of axillary temperature was done in 3 and 5 minutes. Data was analyzed in SPSS 18 by using parametric and nonparametric tests.

Results: Findings revealed the mean temperature difference between 1 minute oral to 3 minute axilla was 0.92 ± 0.79 SD, and the 3 minute oral to 5 minute axilla was 0.96 ± 0.82 SD, the difference was significant (P<0.05). Further, the mean oral temperature in 1 minute was 97.75 ± 1.27 SD, and in 3 minutes was 98.69 ± 1.37 SD. Similarly, mean temperature of axilla in 3 minutes was 97.67± 1.40 SD, whereas mean in 5 minutes was 98.43 ± 1.46 SD. The mean difference was significant.

Conclusion: The effective time to measure oral temperature was three minute and it was five minutes for axillary measurement.