：Objective To compare the effect of infrared thermometer and mercury thermometer in body temperature assessment among orthopedic patients. Methods 〓Patients had been hospitalized for treatment of orthopedic diseases between September 2017 and December 2017 were included in the study, with totally 1070 assessment times of body temperature during hospitalization. A self-controlled study was conducted, in which forehead temperature and jugular temperature were evaluated by infrared thermometer, and the axillary temperature was evaluated by mercury thermometer. The outcomes of three different measurement sites were compared among normal patients and those with fever. Results 〓There was no significant difference between forehead temperature and axillary temperature among normal patients(P0.05), but was significantly different between jugular temperature and forehead temperature, and between jugular temperature and axillary temperature(P0.01). In those patients with fever, there was no significant difference in measurement outcomes among three measurement sites(P0.05), and with significant difference between forehead temperature and axillary temperature(P0.05). Conclusion 〓For normal subjects, the infrared thermometer is more accurate than mercury thermometer in measurement of the axillary temperature. For fever subjects, a mercury thermometer is still recommended for clinical practice.
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