What is the clinical and cost effectiveness of temporal artery thermometers compared with infrared in-ear thermometers for temperature measurement in routine clinical practice?
Thompson L
Record ID 32013000483
English
Authors' recommendations:
Summary
Evidence from a range of adult and paediatric patient groups suggests that TAT is insufficiently accurate for clinical use in inpatient settings when compared with an appropriate gold standard. Where comparison was made with rectal temperature, most studies concluded that TAT was not sufficiently accurate for detection of fever measured by rectal temperature.
Six studies comparing both TAT and IRET with various reference standards in a range of patient groups have reported inconsistent results, with four studies favouring TAT. From the published literature, it is not possible to reach firm conclusions on the relative benefits and costs of TAT compared with IRET due to the degree of heterogeneity in the reference standards and patient groups, and the lack of information on safety and cost effectiveness.
Details
Project Status:
Completed
Year Published:
2012
URL for published report:
http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg_scoping_reports/technologies_scoping_report_11.aspx
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
Scotland, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
- Temporal Arteries
- Thermometers
Contact
Organisation Name:
Scottish Health Technologies Group
Contact Address:
Scottish Health Technologies Group, Delta House, 50 West Nile Street, Glasgow, G1 2NP Tel: 0141 225 6998
Contact Name:
his.shtg@nhs.scot
Contact Email:
his.shtg@nhs.scot
Copyright:
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.