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In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity

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In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity. / Dodd, Susanna R; Lancaster, Gillian A; Craig, Jean V et al.
In: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Vol. 59, No. 4, 2006, p. 354-357.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Dodd, SR, Lancaster, GA, Craig, JV, Smyth, RL & Williamson, PR 2006, 'In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity', Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 354-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.10.004

APA

Dodd, S. R., Lancaster, G. A., Craig, J. V., Smyth, R. L., & Williamson, P. R. (2006). In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 59(4), 354-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.10.004

Vancouver

Dodd SR, Lancaster GA, Craig JV, Smyth RL, Williamson PR. In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2006;59(4):354-357. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.10.004

Author

Dodd, Susanna R ; Lancaster, Gillian A ; Craig, Jean V et al. / In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity. In: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2006 ; Vol. 59, No. 4. pp. 354-357.

Bibtex

@article{97fe0e2a064e43c0983db2a21733d486,
title = "In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity",
abstract = "Background and ObjectivesTo investigate sensitivity and specificity of infrared ear thermometry compared to rectal thermometry to detect fever in children.MethodsSystematic review of studies comparing rectal and infrared ear temperatures in children.ResultsSensitivity and specificity estimates were highly heterogeneous, and displayed an inverse relationship suggestive of a threshold effect, due in part to the different offsets used to obtain adjusted tympanic temperatures depending on the ear thermometer mode. To account for this threshold effect, results from each study were summarized as a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). These varied extensively across studies, suggesting that heterogeneity between study estimates is not fully explained by the threshold effect. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity from random effects models were 63.7% (95% CI 55.6%, 71.8%) and 95.2% (95% CI 93.5%, 96.9%), respectively.ConclusionPooled estimates of measures of diagnostic accuracy from these studies suggest that infrared ear thermometry would fail to diagnose fever in three or four out of every 10 febrile children (with fever defined by a rectal temperature of 38°C or above). These findings support our previous concerns about the use of infrared ear thermometers in situations where a failure to detect fever has serious implications.",
keywords = "Thermometer, Tympanic , Rectum , Sensitivity , Specificity, Diagnostic odds ratio",
author = "Dodd, {Susanna R} and Lancaster, {Gillian A} and Craig, {Jean V} and Smyth, {Rosalind L} and Williamson, {Paula R}",
year = "2006",
doi = "10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.10.004",
language = "English",
volume = "59",
pages = "354--357",
journal = "Journal of Clinical Epidemiology",
issn = "0895-4356",
publisher = "Elsevier USA",
number = "4",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity

AU - Dodd, Susanna R

AU - Lancaster, Gillian A

AU - Craig, Jean V

AU - Smyth, Rosalind L

AU - Williamson, Paula R

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Background and ObjectivesTo investigate sensitivity and specificity of infrared ear thermometry compared to rectal thermometry to detect fever in children.MethodsSystematic review of studies comparing rectal and infrared ear temperatures in children.ResultsSensitivity and specificity estimates were highly heterogeneous, and displayed an inverse relationship suggestive of a threshold effect, due in part to the different offsets used to obtain adjusted tympanic temperatures depending on the ear thermometer mode. To account for this threshold effect, results from each study were summarized as a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). These varied extensively across studies, suggesting that heterogeneity between study estimates is not fully explained by the threshold effect. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity from random effects models were 63.7% (95% CI 55.6%, 71.8%) and 95.2% (95% CI 93.5%, 96.9%), respectively.ConclusionPooled estimates of measures of diagnostic accuracy from these studies suggest that infrared ear thermometry would fail to diagnose fever in three or four out of every 10 febrile children (with fever defined by a rectal temperature of 38°C or above). These findings support our previous concerns about the use of infrared ear thermometers in situations where a failure to detect fever has serious implications.

AB - Background and ObjectivesTo investigate sensitivity and specificity of infrared ear thermometry compared to rectal thermometry to detect fever in children.MethodsSystematic review of studies comparing rectal and infrared ear temperatures in children.ResultsSensitivity and specificity estimates were highly heterogeneous, and displayed an inverse relationship suggestive of a threshold effect, due in part to the different offsets used to obtain adjusted tympanic temperatures depending on the ear thermometer mode. To account for this threshold effect, results from each study were summarized as a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). These varied extensively across studies, suggesting that heterogeneity between study estimates is not fully explained by the threshold effect. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity from random effects models were 63.7% (95% CI 55.6%, 71.8%) and 95.2% (95% CI 93.5%, 96.9%), respectively.ConclusionPooled estimates of measures of diagnostic accuracy from these studies suggest that infrared ear thermometry would fail to diagnose fever in three or four out of every 10 febrile children (with fever defined by a rectal temperature of 38°C or above). These findings support our previous concerns about the use of infrared ear thermometers in situations where a failure to detect fever has serious implications.

KW - Thermometer

KW - Tympanic

KW - Rectum

KW - Sensitivity

KW - Specificity

KW - Diagnostic odds ratio

U2 - 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.10.004

DO - 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.10.004

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16549256

VL - 59

SP - 354

EP - 357

JO - Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

JF - Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

SN - 0895-4356

IS - 4

ER -