Correlation and agreement between infrared thermography and a thermometer for equine body temperature measurements.

Background and Aim: Body temperature is a vital sign that determines physical status. Infrared thermography (IRT) is more frequently used for assessing horses' temperature because of its ease of use and less contact with the horses, making it a safer measurement method. However, the accuracy of IRT remains unclear; therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential use of IRT as an alternative method for measuring horse body temperature. Materials and Methods: Temperatures were measured in 14 horses. A digital thermometer was used to collect rectal temperature (RT), whereas a thermographic camera was used for IRT at three different positions to obtain the center of body temperature (CBT), head temperature (HT), and eye temperature (ET). The protocol was performed over 30 days, repeated thrice daily: morning (6:00-8:00), afternoon (14:00-15:00), and evening (17:00-19:00). Environmental factors, including humidity, ambient temperature, wind flow, and light intensity, were recorded indirectly according to the time of day and cooling device use. Results: Mean RT, CBT, HT, and ET were 37.33°C, 34.08°C, 35.02°C, and 35.14°C, respectively. Center of body temperature was lower than RT by an average of 3.24°C (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4°C-1.09°C). HT was lower than RT by an average of 2.3°C (95% CI, 4.33-0.28). The eye position showed the least difference between RT and infrared temperature, with an average of 2°C (95% CI, 0.7-3.92). However, there was no significant correlation between RT and infrared temperature at any position. Spray and vaporizer use significantly affected IRT and time of day (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Although IRT has advantages in terms of non-invasiveness and reduced stress on horses, its accuracy and reliability may be compromised by environmental variables, which interfere with infrared measurement. Future research should specifically focus on investigating environmental factors.

Studying the Accuracy and Function of Different Thermometry Techniques for Measuring Body Temperature.

The purpose of this study was to determine which thermometry technique is the most accurate for regular measurement of body temperature. We compared seven different commercially available thermometers with a gold standard medical-grade thermometer (Welch-Allyn): four digital infrared thermometers (Wellworks, Braun, Withings, MOBI), one digital sublingual thermometer (Braun), one zero heat flux thermometer (3M), and one infrared thermal imaging camera (FLIR One). Thirty young healthy adults participated in an experiment that altered core body temperature. After baseline measurements, participants placed their feet in a cold-water bath while consuming cold water for 30 min. Subsequently, feet were removed and covered with a blanket for 30 min. Throughout the session, temperature was recorded every 10 min with all devices. The Braun tympanic thermometer (left ear) had the best agreement with the gold standard (mean error: 0.044 °C). The FLIR One thermal imaging camera was the least accurate device (mean error: -0.522 °C). A sign test demonstrated that all thermometry devices were significantly different than the gold standard except for the Braun tympanic thermometer (left ear). Our study showed that not all temperature monitoring techniques are equal, and suggested that tympanic thermometers are the most accurate commercially available system for the regular measurement of body temperature.

Impact of summer heat stress on the thermal environment of bovine female genital tract.

Summer heat stress (HS) is associated with a reduction in conception rate, increase in services per conception, and early embryonic death. However, the impact of summer HS on the thermal environment of different regions of the bovine female genital tract remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of summer HS on the thermal environment of different regions of the genital tract in the cow. Three non-pregnant Japanese Black cows were investigated using a specially designed digital thermometer to record the temperatures of the rectum (RT), vagina (VT), cervix (CT), uterine body (UBT), and uterine horns (UHT) on days 0, 1, 2, 3, and 8 of the estrous cycle (day 0 = heat) in February (winter), May (spring), and August (summer). During the experiment, the temperature humidity index (THI) was recorded. THI during summer was higher (P Ë‚ 0.001) than in winter and spring (78.45 ± 0.32 vs. 60.26 ± 1.20 and 68.51 ± 0.80, respectively) and was higher than the alert THI indicating HS (i.e., THI > 73). Consequently, the VT, CT, UBT, and UHT were elevated during summer HS (P < 0.05) in comparison to winter and spring. THI was positively correlated (P < 0.01) with RT, VT, CT, UBT, and UHT. Linear regression revealed that VT, CT, UBT, and UHT increased by 0.05 °C per unit of THI. VT was more highly correlated than RT with THI and with the temperature of other regions of genital tract. HS induced increases in the temperatures of different regions of the female genital tract. The relationship between THI and VT could be incorporated into a mathematical model to predict the thermal load of HS on different regions of the female genital tract.

Monitoring Temperature: Knowledge and Skills of Outpatients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Elevated temperature can be the first sign of infection; obtaining an accurate temperature in patients undergoing chemotherapy is critical. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine outpatients' temperature-monitoring knowledge and skills; whether an educational DVD could increase knowledge; and the level of agreement between a home thermometer and a calibrated hospital thermometer. METHODS: The intervention was an educational DVD. Patients completed a survey and were observed taking their temperature. Investigators rated whether the correct steps were taken and then obtained the temperature. The bias and precision of the patient's thermometer were determined. FINDINGS: Knowledge scores averaged 68%. Most participants correctly identified elevated temperatures for fever (91%); less than 50% correctly identified other signs of infection, and less than 25% correctly identified activities that could falsely elevate or depress temperature readings.

Assessment of axillary temperature for the evaluation of normal body temperature of healthy young adults at rest in a thermoneutral environment.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate whether recently introduced methods of measuring axillary temperature are reliable, (2) examine if individuals know their baseline body temperature based on an actual measurement, and (3) assess the factors affecting axillary temperature and reevaluate the meaning of the axillary temperature. METHODS: Subjects were healthy young men and women (n = 76 and n = 65, respectively). Three measurements were obtained: (1) axillary temperature using a digital thermometer in a predictive mode requiring 10 s (T ax-10 s), (2) axillary temperature using a digital thermometer in a standard mode requiring 10 min (T ax-10 min), and (3) tympanic membrane temperature continuously measured by infrared thermometry (T ty). The subjects answered questions about eating and exercise habits, sleep and menstrual cycles, and thermoregulation and reported what they believed their regular body temperature to be (T reg). RESULTS: T reg, T ax-10 s, T ax-10 min, and T ty were 36.2 ± 0.4, 36.4 ± 0.5, 36.5 ± 0.4, and 36.8 ± 0.3 °C (mean ± SD), respectively. There were correlations between T ty and T ax-10 min, T ty and T ax-10 s, and T ax-10 min and T ax-10 s (r = .62, r = .46, and r = .59, respectively, P < .001), but not between T reg and T ax-10 s (r = .11, P = .20). A lower T ax-10 s was associated with smaller body mass indices and irregular menstrual cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Modern devices for measuring axillary temperature may have changed the range of body temperature that is recognized as normal. Core body temperature variations estimated by tympanic measurements were smaller than those estimated by axillary measurements. This variation of axillary temperature may be due to changes in the measurement methods introduced by modern devices and techniques. However, axillary temperature values correlated well with those of tympanic measurements, suggesting that the technique may reliably report an individual's state of health. It is important for individuals to know their baseline axillary temperature to evaluate subsequent temperature measurements as normal or abnormal. Moreover, axillary temperature variations may, in part, reflect fat mass and changes due to the menstrual cycle.

Comparación de valores de temperatura obtenidos con termómetro ótico digital y con termómetros axilar y rectal de mercurio en menores de 5 años / Comparison of body temperature measurements obtained with otic digital thermometer and mercury axillary and rectal thermometers in children under the age of five

Introducción: En los últimos años han aparecido nuevos métodos para medir la temperatura en niños, como el termómetro digital ótico. Siendo este un método más rápido para medir la temperatura y por lo tanto ideal para el servicio de urgencias, es necesario conocer su confiabilidad. Objetivo: Comparar los valores de temperatura corporal que entrega el termómetro ótico digital con los termómetros de mercurio axilar y rectal. Pacientes y Método: Se efectuó la medición de la temperatura en 50 pacientes menores de 5 años elegidos al azar, que consultaron en el Servicio de Urgencia del Hospital de Niños y Cunas de Viña del Mar. Se les midió la temperatura con un termómetro digital ótico al lado izquierdo y derecho, y las temperaturas axilar derecha y rectal con termómetros de mercurio. EL análisis de los resultados se efectuó en el grupo estudiado, separado en dos grupos, menores y mayores de 6 meses. Resultados: Los resultados entre ambos subgrupos fueron los mismos. La temperatura media rectal obtenida fue 0,414°C más alta que la media ótica derecha (p < 0,001) y 0,438°C más alta que la temperatura media ótica izquierda (p < 0,001). Conclusión: El termómetro ótico digital entrega una temperatura significativamente más baja que la que entregan los termómetros de mercurio axilar y rectal.

Background: In recent years, otic thermometers to measure body temperature in children have become increasingly popular as they reflect changes in body temperature sooner than other thermometers. The have become valuable assets in hospital emergency rooms; however, their accuracy and reliability need further studies. Objective: To compare corporal temperature readings between an otic thermometer and mercury axillary and rectal thermometers. Patients and Method: 50 patients under the age of 5, who were treated at the emergency room of our hospital, were randomly chosen to participate in this study. Temperature was measured on their right and left ears using an otic thermometer, and their rectal and right axillary temperature was taken using mercury thermometers. Patients were separated into 2 subgroups for comparison, children under and over 6 months old. Results: The results between the 2 subgroups were very similar. The average temperature obtained by rectal thermometers was 0.414°C higher than the average right-ear temperature (p < 0.001) and 0.438°c higher than the average left-ear temperature (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The otic thermometer's reading is significantly lower than the one obtained using mercury rectal and axillary thermometers.