Neonatal hypothermia detection by ThermoSpot in Indian urban slum dwellings

Abstract

Objective: To look at the performance of ThermoSpot liquid crystal thermometry in detecting neonatal hypothermia.

Design: A comparison was made between skin temperatures taken by ThermoSpot and axillary temperatures taken by digital electric thermometry. Non-medically trained local volunteers performed daily paired recordings on infants on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of life.

Setting: This is a non-hospital based study set in the homes of neonates in an underprivileged urban slum community in the developing world.

Subjects: Inclusion criteria: babies born at home. Exclusion criteria: hospital admission; parental refusal.

Interventions: The ThermoSpot was stuck to the neonate’s abdomen over the liver area on day 1 and removed on day 7.

Main outcome measures: Fixed test properties of ThermoSpot.

Results: Over 180 paired observations, the fixed test properties of ThermoSpot in the detection of hypothermia were: sensitivity 88%; specificity 97%; positive likelihood ratio 29; negative likelihood ratio 0.13.

Conclusions: ThermoSpot performed well when used by non-medically trained volunteers for the detection of neonatal hypothermia in the homes of an urban slum community.