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Fever of unknown origin

M L Miller1, I Szer, R Yogev

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Pediatric Clinics of North America
|October 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

Fever in children has diverse causes, ranging from mild illnesses to serious conditions. Evaluating undiagnosed fevers requires identifying localizing signs to guide diagnosis and treatment, focusing on infectious, autoimmune, and rheumatic diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Rheumatology

Background:

  • Fever in children presents a diagnostic challenge due to its wide range of potential causes.
  • Evaluating fevers of undiagnosed origin, especially those lasting less than two weeks, necessitates identifying localizing findings.
  • Fever can complicate chronic diseases or indicate specific localized infections, requiring careful consideration of underlying etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for evaluating children with fever.
  • To differentiate between fever with and without localizing signs.
  • To emphasize the role of rheumatic diseases in prolonged fever and fever of unknown origin.

Main Methods:

  • Review of diagnostic approaches for pediatric fever.
  • Categorization of fever causes including infectious, malignant, and autoimmune diseases.
  • Discussion of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for prolonged fever and fever of unknown origin.

Main Results:

  • Fever causes in children span from benign to life-threatening conditions.
  • Identifying localizing findings is crucial for diagnosing children with fevers of unknown cause.
  • Infectious, immunodeficiency, and rheumatic diseases are key considerations in fever evaluation.

Conclusions:

  • A systematic approach is essential for evaluating pediatric fever.
  • Distinguishing between fever with and without localizing signs aids in diagnosis.
  • Rheumatic diseases warrant particular attention in cases of prolonged fever or fever of unknown origin.

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