Optimal peripheral measurement point for the assessment of preterm patients in intensive care units

In neonatal intensive care units many important vital signs are continuously measured in order to have a full monitoring of the patient. To this aim, cardiac rate, respiration activity, blood saturation, body temperature are extensively collected by contact sensors. Temperature, particularly in preterm infants, is a key quantity to be assessed if the aim is to verify the patient development and is/her capacity to regulate the body temperature. Presently, hospital cribs are equipped with large resistance thermometers (two or more); one for measuring temperature at the hepatic site and the second to assess temperature from peripheral sites (i.e. arms, legs). The aim of this paper is to identify the optimal measurement point for the assessment of the skin temperature in peripheral sites. The experimental procedure utilized is based on the use of a multi-point (6 sensing points) measurement system of the skin temperature and of the crib environmental temperature. In this study, 50 premature patients (mean gestation age 34 weeks and mean weight 1791 g) have been measured. Results demonstrate that from the measured data, it is possible to correctly identify the left hand as the measurement point presenting the smallest differences (< 1.04 degrees C), respect to the central body temperature values (measured in correspondence to the liver).