Thermographic visualization of facial vasoconstriction is associated with 30-day all-cause mortality in medical patients; prospective observational two-site cohort study
Jensen, N.H.; Sze-Long Lo, R.; Hung, K.; Lorentzen, M.; Laugesen, S.; Posth, S.; Hansen, S.; Jensen, K.; Kellett, J.; Graham, C.A.; Brabrand, M.
Acute Medicine 20(2): 101-109
2021
ISSN/ISBN: 1747-4892 PMID: 34190736 Document Number: 18269
Quick and reliable assessment of acute patients is required for accurate triage. The temperature gradient between core and peripheral temperature could possibly instantly provide information on circulatory status. Adult medical patients, who did not receive supplementary oxygen, attending two emergency departments, had a thermographic image taken on arrival. The association between 30-day mortality and gradients was tested using logistic regression. 726 patients were studied, median age was 64 years and 14 (1.9%) died within 30 days. There was a significant association between mortality and temperature gradient, comparable to vital signs, age, and clinical intuition. Temperature gradient between nose and eye had an acceptable discriminatory power for 30-day all-cause mortality.
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