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[Fever of unknown origin with a prolonged course (author's transl)]
Medicina Clinica
|May 10, 1981
Summary
Chronic fever of unknown origin (FUO) diagnosis is challenging, with infections and autoimmune diseases being common causes. Invasive procedures yielded less in prolonged FUO cases, highlighting the need for careful diagnostic approaches.
Area of Science:
- Internal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Rheumatology
Context:
- Fever of unknown origin (FUO) presents a diagnostic challenge, particularly in prolonged cases exceeding six months.
- This study focuses on a subset of 15 patients with chronic FUO meeting established diagnostic criteria.
Purpose:
- To investigate the etiological spectrum and diagnostic yield in prolonged cases of FUO.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of diagnostic procedures in chronic FUO.
Summary:
- An etiological diagnosis was achieved in 11 of 15 chronic FUO cases, including infections (toxoplasmosis, brucellosis, brain abscess), colon carcinoma, collagen-vascular diseases (lupus erythematosus, temporal arteritis), and other conditions (familial Mediterranean fever, idiopathic granulomatous disease, factitious fever).
- Four cases remained undiagnosed.
- Diagnostic procedures included non-invasive methods (clinical course, serology) and invasive techniques (angiography, biopsies, laparotomy), with one diagnosis confirmed post-mortem.
Impact:
- Prolonged FUO exhibits a distinct etiological profile compared to general FUO.
- Invasive diagnostic procedures demonstrated a lower diagnostic yield in chronic FUO.
- Mortality in prolonged FUO cases appears lower than in the general FUO population, suggesting a potentially less severe underlying pathology in some instances.