Preoperative core temperatures in elective surgical patients show an unexpected skewed distribution.

PURPOSE: To document the preoperative core temperature of adult elective surgical patients.

METHODS: A prospective audit obtained sublingual temperatures from 446 adult elective surgical patients on arrival in the preoperative holding area.

RESULTS: Temperatures ranged from 35.7 degrees C to 37.8 degrees C with a mean of 36.5 degrees C (0.4 SD). The median was 36.4 degrees C and the mode was 36.1 degrees C. There was a skewed distribution with a clustering of values at the lower end of the range. All recordings were within the accepted normothermic range.

CONCLUSION: The asymmetric distribution we observed differs from previously published normothermia data which shows a symmetrical distribution of temperatures. This skewed distribution has not previously been documented and we interpret it as being due to the effect of preoperative cooling factors.