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Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2006;91:F96-F98 doi:10.1136/adc.2005.078410
  • Original article

Neonatal hypothermia detection by ThermoSpot in Indian urban slum dwellings

  1. D A Green,
  2. A Kumar,
  3. R Khanna
  1. St Stephen’s Hospital, Tis Hazari, Delhi, India
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr Green
    Flat 4.1, Old Administration Block, St Stephens Hospital, Tis Hazari, Delhi 110054, India; davidhafiz{at}doctors.org.uk
  • Accepted 7 September 2005
  • Published Online First 13 September 2005

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.

Footnotes

  • Published online first 13 September 2005

  • Competing interests: none declared

Responses to this article

  • ThermoSpot - a non-invasive hypothermia indicator for neonates, infants and children
    • John D B Zeal
    Arch Dis Child - Fetal Neonatal Ed published online April 7, 2006
  • Thermospots: appropriate technology for the developing world
    • Neil Kennedy
    Arch Dis Child - Fetal Neonatal Ed published online March 8, 2006

This Article

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  4. All versions of this article:
    1. adc.2005.078410v1
    2. 91/2/F96 most recent

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