Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34426635›Full record

Observational studyScientific reports2021

Evaluating the interchangeability of infrared and digital devices with the traditional mercury thermometer in hospitalized pediatric patients: an observational study.

Angelo Dante, Elona Gaxhja, Vittorio Masotta, Carmen La Cerra, Valeria Caponnetto, Cristina Petrucci, Loreto Lancia

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scientific reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.1field-weighted citation impact, top 51% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Angelo DanteDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy. angelo.dante@univaq.it.
Elona GaxhjaDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy.
Vittorio MasottaDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy.
Carmen La CerraDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy.
Valeria CaponnettoDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy.
Cristina PetrucciDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy.
Loreto LanciaDepartment of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Rita Levi Montalcini Building - G. Petrini Street, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy.
University of L'Aquila · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gradual replacement of the mercury thermometers with alternative devices is ongoing around the world in a bid to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. However, to reduce the risks of misdiagnosis, unnecessary treatments, and omission of care in pediatric populations, more evidence on the reliability of alternative thermometers is needed. The aim of this comparative observational study was to detect any differences in temperature measurements between the use of the axillary mercury thermometer and the alternative techniques. Temperature values in degree Celsius (°C) were measured in a group of Albanian children aged up to 14 years using mercury and digital axillary thermometers, as well as forehead and tympanic infrared thermometers. The digital axillary device, compared with the mercury one, showed no clinically significant difference in the mean values (- 0.04 ± 0.29 °C) and the narrowest 95% level of agreement (+ 0.53 °C to - 0.62 °C) in the paired comparisons. For cut-off point of 37.5 °C, the digital axillary thermometer showed the highest levels of sensitivity (72.5%) and specificity (99.1%) in detecting fever. This study indicates that the digital axillary thermometer may be the better option since it adequately balances accuracy, safety, and children's comfort.

Indexed as

Infrared RaysMercuryThermometersBody TemperatureChildChild, PreschoolDiagnostic Tests, RoutineFemaleHumansMaleMercury

Identifiers

PMID34426635
PMCPMC8382823
OpenAlexW3195350145

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.