INTRODUCTION: The elderly tend to present lower body temperatures than younger adults. Determining the basal body temperature in long term institutionalized elderly populations will help find new definitions of febrile state for that age group and location, thus avoiding late or wrong diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: Determine the axillary basal body temperature values in clinically stable elderly living in long term care (LTC) institutions. METHOD: In August 2005 institutionalized elderly from both genders (age > 60 years), with intermediate dependence level (loss of two out of six basic daily activities) were evaluated. The average and standard deviation for three morning axillary temperatures was obtained through IncotermÒ prismatic clinical thermometer measurements. In the LTC institution area for the study herein August 2005 has presented average environmental temperatures between 14ºC and 26ºC. RESULTS: 47 elderly patients were studied (16 women, 31 men) with an average age of 72.8 ± 10.6 years. Morning average axillary temperature: 36.1º ± 0.2ºC, with 36.1º ± 0.2ºC for women and 36.2º ± 0.2ºC for men. There was no statistical significance related to gender or age and temperatures measured. CONCLUSION: Institutionalized elderly presented an average or basal morning axillary temperature lower than normal in young adults. That fact deserves attention due to the risk of developing syndromes with atypical temperatures, such as non-febrile infectious profiles and hypothermias.
Aged; Body Temperature; Homes for the Aged