Measurement of core body temperature in heat-related illness

Measurement of core body temperature is important in assessing and managing heat-related illness in hospital, but is not generally feasible in the field because reliable measurement requires use of an oesophageal or rectal thermometer. Oesophageal probes can generally only be used in ventilated patients. Rectal probes are associated with concerns about privacy and hygiene, and temperature changes may lag behind those occurring in the blood and deep organs. Noninvasive temperature measurement (oral, tympanic, forehead, axillary) has been shown to be unreliable for monitoring in exercising athletes; noninvasive measurements cannot exclude heat-related illnessCasa, Becker, 2007. The focus of managing heat-related illness is rapid assessment of symptoms and signs, and prompt cooling; do not delay cooling (in the field or in hospital) for a person with suspected heat-related illness if a suitable thermometer is not available.