25% "error rate" in ear temperature sensing device

To the Editor.— We read with interest the recent article by Kenney et al1 regarding the acceptability of the FIRST temp (Intelligent Medical Systems, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) tympanic membrane infrared temperature sensing device as a clinical tool for pediatricians.1 The authors conclude that the instrum...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 1991-03, Vol.87 (3), p.414-415
Main Authors: Freed, G L, Fraley, J K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Body Temperature
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Thermometers
Tympanic Membrane
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Summary:To the Editor.— We read with interest the recent article by Kenney et al1 regarding the acceptability of the FIRST temp (Intelligent Medical Systems, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) tympanic membrane infrared temperature sensing device as a clinical tool for pediatricians.1 The authors conclude that the instrument provides body temperature measurements consistent with traditionally used methods (glass-mercury thermometer). We take exception with the analysis used to reach such a conclusion. The authors present their data as mean differences between FIRST temp and conventional methods with 95% confidence intervals around the mean.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.87.3.414b