THE SUPERIORITY OF RECTAL THERMOMETRY TO ORAL THERMOMETRY WITH REGARDTO ACCURACY

Electronic oral thermometry is performed routinely in most medical cen tres. From the studies available on this subject it seems difficult to find any documentation for this practice. We have conducted clinicall y controlled studies in which the accuracy of electronic oral thermome try (CRAFTEMP and TERUMO WCT) and that of electronic rectal thermometr y (TERUMO WCT) were tested. Rectal glass mercury thermometry was used as a reference method. Two studies were designed. In study 1,184 patie nts (72 women, 112 men), median age 70 (18-95) years were investigated . In study 2, 98 patients (41 women, 50 men), median age 59 (18-96) ye ars were investigated. Electronic oral thermometry was found unaccepta bly inaccurate under daily routine conditions. Electronic rectal therm ometry was found to be accurate. Calculations of mean temperature diff erence between reference measurements and test measurements (mean +/- SD) were found to be: routine oral CRAFTEMP at 0.70 +/- 0.50-degrees-C , optimum oral TERUMO WCT at 0.75 +/- 0.74-degrees-C, routine rectal T ERUMO WCT at 0.08 +/- 0.26-degrees-C and optimum rectal TERUMO WCT at 0.02 +/- 0.17. In the screening procedure for fever oral thermometry s howed low sensitivity (routine CTAFTEMP 0.47 and optimum TERUMO WCT 0. 59) whereas rectal thermometry showed high sensitivity (routine TERUMO WCT 0.74 and optimum TERUMO WCT 0.91). It was concluded that rectal t hermometry must be preferred to oral thermometry for daily routine mea surements.