2014 Volume 26 Issue 4 Pages 132-141
We started a study for developing technologies that can easily and accurately estimate deep body temperature for patients with cervical spinal cord injuries who have severe temperature regulation disorder. As a first step, the relation between oral temperature (alternative temperature of deep body temperature) and skin temperature for patients with cervical spinal cord injuries was analyzed by using data from experiments in artificial climate chambers. Among objective patients with cervical spinal cord injuries, eight patients were exposed to temperatures in the room at 23℃ 25℃ and 27℃, four patients at 19℃, 21℃, 23℃, 25℃, 27℃ and 29℃, seven patients at 21℃, 25℃ and 29℃, and one patient at 21℃, 24℃ and 27℃. As a result of the analysis, a significant positive correlation was recognized between oral temperature and skin temperature on the forehead and back of the hand for 15 patients equivalent to 75% of 20 patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (P‹0.01). It was therefore indicated that the condition of oral temperature for patients with cervical spinal cord injuries can be estimated from skin temperature on the forehead and back of the hand.
