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[Infants aged 3-24 months with fever without source in the emergency room: characteristics, management and outcome]

S Mintegi Raso1, M González Balenciaga, A Pérez Fernández

  • 1Urgencias de Pediatría, Hospital de Cruces, 48903 Baracaldo, Bilbao, España. smintegui@hcru.osakidetza.net

Anales De Pediatria (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)
|June 2, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Fever without source in infants aged 3-24 months is common in emergency rooms. Nearly 30% of these children have a different final diagnosis, with 12% requiring antibiotics.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Infectious Disease

Context:

  • Fever without source (FWS) is a frequent reason for pediatric emergency room (ER) visits in infants.
  • Accurate and timely diagnosis of FWS is crucial for appropriate management and preventing adverse outcomes.
  • Understanding the characteristics and outcomes of infants with FWS informs clinical practice and resource allocation in ER settings.

Purpose:

  • To characterize infants aged 3-24 months presenting with FWS to a pediatric ER.
  • To analyze the management strategies employed for these infants.
  • To determine the subsequent outcomes and diagnostic accuracy for FWS in this age group.

Summary:

  • A retrospective survey of 733 infants (3-24 months) with FWS revealed that 92.3% were initially diagnosed with FWS.
  • Diagnostic workup, including complete blood count and blood culture, was influenced by age, fever duration, and temperature.
  • In outpatients initially diagnosed with FWS, the final diagnosis differed in 27.5% of cases, with 12.1% ultimately receiving antibiotics.

Impact:

  • The study highlights the diagnostic uncertainty in infants with FWS, emphasizing the need for careful observation and reassessment.
  • Findings suggest that nearly 30% of initial FWS diagnoses are revised, impacting treatment decisions and potentially leading to unnecessary antibiotic use.
  • This research underscores the importance of robust follow-up protocols for infants presenting with FWS to the ER.
Abstract

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