Three Different Types of Thermometers in Measuring Temperature in Young Patients With Fever and Without Fever

A Study Evaluating the Agreement of Devices for Measuring Temperature in Children

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00378846

Enrollment

Registered

2006-09-21

Start date

2006-03-31

Completion date

2009-11-30

Last updated

2012-03-15

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Fever, Sweats, and Hot Flashes

Keywords

fever, sweats, and hot flashes

Brief summary

RATIONALE: Comparing results of three different thermometers used to measure body temperature may help doctors find the most accurate thermometer to detect fever and plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying three different types of thermometers to measure temperature in young patients with fever and without fever.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine agreement between three different types of temperature-measuring instruments: the temporal artery scanner, the digital oral thermometer, and the infrared tympanic thermometer calibrated to an oral setting, in pediatric patients who are febrile and afebrile. Secondary * Determine similarities or differences in the percent of fevers detected with oral, ear, and temporal artery monitoring in these pediatric patients. * Determine differences in agreement of the various temperature devices in non-neutropenic pediatric patients versus neutropenic pediatric patients. OUTLINE: This is a prospective study. During an afebrile episode, the patient's temperature is measured twice using the following 3 devices: a temporal artery scanner, a digital oral thermometer, and an infrared tympanic thermometer calibrated to an oral setting (total of 6 temperature measurements per afebrile episode). During a febrile episode, the patient's temperature is measured twice using all 3 devices as above, and then at 2 and 4 hours after administration of an antipyretic medication (total of 18 temperatures per febrile episode). Patients' temperatures are recorded for a maximum of 3 afebrile or febrile episodes. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 32 patients will be accrued for this study.

Interventions

PROCEDUREinfrared thermography

Study design

Primary purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

4 Years to 17 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Febrile or afebrile * Patient at the Mark O. Harfield Clinical Research Center * Previously enrolled in an IRB-approved Clinical Center protocol PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Able to hold an oral thermometer in mouth * No acute life-threatening infection * No ear, nose, or throat (aural) abnormalities * No severe mucositis PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No concurrent enrollment on a behavioral research study

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Agreement between the temporal artery scanner, digital oral thermometer, and infrared tympanic thermometer calibrated to an oral setting in pediatric patients who are febrile and afebrile	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Similarities or differences in the percent of fevers detected with oral, ear, and temporal artery monitoring	—
Differences in agreement of the various temperature devices	—

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026