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A case of prolonged fever and a diagnosis obscured by an opaque sinus

M Velayudhan1, C W Lee2

  • 1International Medical University, Malaysia. velamenon@gmail.com.

The Medical Journal of Malaysia
|October 19, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Prolonged fever can be difficult to diagnose. This case report highlights subacute thyroiditis as a cause of persistent fever, diagnosed after 40 days.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Prolonged fever presents a diagnostic challenge for clinicians.
  • Common causes of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) include infections, malignancies, and collagen vascular diseases.
  • A significant percentage of patients with prolonged fever remain undiagnosed despite thorough evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a case of subacute thyroiditis presenting as prolonged fever.
  • To illustrate the diagnostic process for identifying subacute thyroiditis in a patient with persistent pyrexia.

Main Methods:

  • Case report detailing a patient with prolonged fever.
  • Review of diagnostic evaluations performed during the fever episode.

Main Results:

  • Subacute thyroiditis was identified as the cause of prolonged fever.
  • Diagnosis was established after 40 days of persistent fever.

Conclusions:

  • Subacute thyroiditis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pyrexia of unknown origin.
  • Persistent fever can be a manifestation of thyroid dysfunction, requiring comprehensive diagnostic workup.

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