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Cited by 420Thermoregulation and physiological responsesThermal Regulation in MedicineCardiovascular and exercise physiology

Considerations for the measurement of core, skin and mean body temperatures

Taylor, Nigel A.S., Tipton, Michael J., Kenny, Glen P.·2014·Journal of Thermal Biology
DOI 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.10.006
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Abstract

Despite previous reviews and commentaries, significant misconceptions remain concerning deep-body (core) and skin temperature measurement in humans. Therefore, the authors have assembled the pertinent Laws of Thermodynamics and other first principles that govern physical and physiological heat exchanges. The resulting review is aimed at providing theoretical and empirical justifications for collecting and interpreting these data. The primary emphasis is upon deep-body temperatures, with discussions of intramuscular, subcutaneous, transcutaneous and skin temperatures included. These are all turnover indices resulting from variations in local metabolism, tissue conduction and blood flow. Consequently, inter-site differences and similarities may have no mechanistic relationship unless those sites have similar metabolic rates, are in close proximity and are perfused by the same blood vessels. Therefore, it is proposed that a gold standard deep-body temperature does not exist. Instead, the validity of each measurement must be evaluated relative to one's research objectives, whilst satisfying equilibration and positioning requirements. When using thermometric computations of heat storage, the establishment of steady-state conditions is essential, but for clinically relevant states, targeted temperature monitoring becomes paramount. However, when investigating temperature regulation, the response characteristics of each temperature measurement must match the forcing function applied during experimentation. Thus, during dynamic phases, deep-body temperatures must be measured from sites that track temperature changes in the central blood volume.

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  • Oral, axilla, and auditory canal or tympanic temperature provide a much poorer index of core body temperature, primarily because they are contaminated by environmental temperatures.

    “Other commonly used sites of body temperature measurement, including oral, axilla, and auditory canal or tympanic temperature, provide a much poorer index of core body temperature, primarily because they are contaminated by environmental temperatures [26,28].”

    From Temperature regulation in women: Effects of the menstrual cycle (2020) · cites this paper as [26]

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Authors
Taylor, N. A. S., Tipton, M. J., & Kenny, G. P.
Affiliations
  • University of Wollongong (AU)
  • University of Ottawa (CA)
Corresponding author
Taylor, Nigel A.S.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Thermal Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-12
Volume
46
Pages
72-101
ISSN
0306-4565 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.10.006
OpenAlex
W1991718440
Cited by
420
References
446
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 2
FWCI
3.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Thermal Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Australian Research Council
  • Defence Science and Technology Organisation
  • U.K. Ministry of Defence
  • Shell U.K
  • Home Office
  • the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
  • Canada Foundation for Innovation
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine › Thermal Regulation in Medicine
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
Keywords
core body temperature, skin temperature, intramuscular temperature, subcutaneous temperature, thermal energy storage, steady-state conditions, temperature regulation, measurement site selection, blood flow
MeSH terms
Blood Volume, Body Temperature, Body Temperature Regulation, Calorimetry, Humans, Mathematics, Metabolism, Skin Temperature, Thermodynamics

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