Thromboembolic disease presenting as fever in spinal cord injury

A 45-year-old man had complete C5 quadriplegia after sustaining a C6-7 fracture dislocation in a motor vehicle accident. Twenty-six days after injury the patient spiked nightly temperatures of 100.5F to 102.5F. Before a full fever workup could be completed, the patient developed shortness of breath. Thromboembolism was confirmed via venography and Ventilation/Perfusion scan. Other clinical signs of asymmetric swelling or warmth were notably absent throughout the course of the thromboembolic event. The patient became afebrile on the third day of anticoagulant therapy and remained afebrile. This case indicates that thromboembolic disease can present with fever only and the disease should be included in the differential diagnosis for fever in any patient with acute spinal cord injury.