Hana Min and Gun Bea Kim*
Volume5-Issue11
Dates: Received: 2024-10-06 | Accepted: 2024-11-08 | Published: 2024-11-09
Pages: 1411-1418
Abstract
Background: The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of body temperature monitoring as a screening tool for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in an emergency department from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. A total of 5,502 out of 9,205 patients with trauma during the pre-pandemic period and 3703 out of 9205 during the pandemic period (age ≧ 18 years old) were enrolled in the study. Data collected included sex, age, time of visit, initial and follow-up BT, Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) score, disposition results, time of disposition, time of the first imaging study, and SARS-CoV-2 test results. Patients were divided into two groups based on their body temperature.
Results: During the pandemic period, three out of 832 patients with a body temperature below 37.5°C tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via polymerase chain reaction, while none of the 342 patients with a body temperature above 37.5°C tested positive negative. However, this was statistically insignificant. Patients with a body temperature over 37.5°C had to wait significantly longer to see a doctor, undergo imaging studies, and receive disposition, especially in non-major trauma cases. Follow-up body temperatures were significantly lower except in KTAS 1- and ICU-admitted patients.
The usefulness of body temperature as a screening tool for trauma patients in the emergency department during the pandemic period is limited and could have detrimental effects on emergency department crowding.
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DOI: 10.37871/jbres2030
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Copyright
© 2024 Min H, et al. Distributed under Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 
How to cite this article
Min H, Kim GB. Analysis of Body Temperature in Patients with Trauma Visiting a Local Emergency Medical Center during the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak. J Biomed Res Environ Sci. 2024 Nov 09; 5(11): 1411-1418. doi: 10.37871/jbres2030, Article ID: JBRES2030, Available at: https://www.jelsciences.com/articles/jbres2030.pdf
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