Researchers from the Centre for Perinatal Research, University of Nottingham, have recently published a poster presented at the European Academy of Paediatric Societies (EAPS) meeting in Vienna (October 2024). The study looked at the accuracy and time to reach core temperature for a novel multiparameter sensor (MPS) in an experimental in-vitro setting compared to a skin temperature probe used routinely in the NHS.

The MPS  wirelessly and continuously monitors skin temperature, SpO2 (oxygen saturation), and ECG heart rate and the aim of the study was to  evaluate the accuracy of the MPS in measuring skin temperature, as well as its speed in approximating core body temperature.

Key Findings from the study were :

• The MPS consistently provided readings closer to the core temperature than standard temperature monitoring and did so more rapidly at all radiant heat settings.
• At 100% radiant heat power, the MPS reached within 0.1°C of the core temperature 2.3 times faster than the standard skin probe.
• Although the MPS occasionally reported higher temperatures than the actual core temperature (up to 0.4°C difference), improvements are being made to address this issue with an updated prototype featuring additional shielding.

The study suggests that the novel MPS is effective for rapid and accurate temperature monitoring in newborns under varying conditions, outperforming traditional methods. Its ability to provide wireless and continuous temperature readings may enhance thermal management during newborn stabilisation in delivery rooms and operating theatres.

You can view the full poster here.