Transcript 07_-_Fever
Fever– A Clinical approach
Dr Sabir
Definition
an oral temperature exceeding 37.2°C in the early
morning and 37.7°C in the late afternoon or evening
(Rectal temperatures are higher by approximately
0.6°C )
Diurnal variation
the mean diurnal temperature oscillation is
approximately 0.5°C, with women generally having
slightly higher normal temperatures than men.
Temperature is lowest in the early morning and
highest in the late afternoon or early evening
The diurnal rhythm is usually preserved with a fever
What is fever ?
FEVER is a Diagnostic Clue
It is an essential host defense mechanism
Associated with or without localizing signs
It can be due to Infection, inflammation or neoplasm
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia—not mediated by cytokines—occurs
when body metabolic heat production or
environmental heat load exceeds normal heat loss
capacity or when there is impaired heat loss; heat
stroke is an example. Body temperature may rise to
levels (> 41.1 °C) capable of producing irreversible
protein denaturation and resultant brain damage; no
diurnal variation is observed.
ِAntipyretics are effective in treating fever but are
unlikely to affect hyperthermia.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare and potentially
lethal idiosyncratic reaction to major tranquilizers( haloperidol,
fluphenazine)
Treatment: dantrolene ± bromocriptine or levodopa
Serotonin syndrome: occurs within hours of ingestion of
agents that increase levels of serotonin in the CNS, including
serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors,
tricyclic antidepressants, pethidine, dextromethorphan,
bromocriptine, tramadol, and lithium.
Treatment: central serotonin receptor antagonist—
cyproheptadine or chlorpromazine ± a benzodiazepine.
Fever- Patterns
o Intermittent type – temp return to normal once during most days
o Remittent type – temp do not return to normal each day
o Sustained/Continuous – temp do not vary more than 1 degree F /day
o Relapsing - recurrent over days to weeks
Fever - types
Classical PUO
1. FEVER – more than 38.3º C
2. At least 3 wk
3. Cause not diagnosed after 3 OP visits or 3 days of
hospitalization.
TYPES OF PUO:
ACUTE,
NOSOCOMIAL,
HIV ASSOCIATED
NEUTROPENIC PUO
PUO – causes
INFECTIONS – 40%
MALIGNANCY –30%
CONNECTIVE TISSUE D- 20 %
UNDIAGNOSED – 10 %
DDx
Infection: amoebic liver abscess, brucellosis, TB,
Typhoid, IE….etc
Malignancy: soild tumors (pancreas, lung, sarcoma,
colon…etc)
Systemic dis: SLE, Reiter’s, granulomatous
hepatitis…etc
Miscellaneous: drug fever, factitious fever,
hyperthyroidism, Behcet’s dis, FMF…etc
Drug fever
Any drug may be responsible
Examples: nitrofurantoin, phenytoin, hydralazine,
methyldopa, quinidine, quinine, procainamide
Very rarely caused by: digoxin, aminoglycosides
Peripheral eosinophilia is a clue but present only in
25%
FEVER WITH HEPATOSPLENOMEGALY
MALARIA
TYPHOID
LYMPHOMA
LEUKEMIA
DISSEMINATED TB
INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS
BRUCELLOSIS
KALA AZAR
HIGH ESR
TB
TEMPORAL ARTERITIS
CARCINOMA
LYMPHOMAS
ABSCESS
MYELOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDER
FEVER & LOW PLATELETS
VIRAL FEVERS
LEUKEMIA
LYMPHOMA
MYELOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDER
DRUG FEVER
SLE
HIV INFECTION
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
ANA,ANTI- Ds DNA – SLE
BONE SCAN- OSTEOMYELITIS, METASTASIS
ECHO HEART – ATRIAL MYXOMA, IE
SMEAR TEST + VE – MALARIA,
VIRAL CULTURE + IN EBV, CMV INFECTIONS
BLOOD CULTURE + IN IE, SEPSIS
AGGLUTININ TEST + IN SALMONELLA , BRUCELLOSIS