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Fever: genuine or factitious?

A S Abraham, D Bader

    Postgraduate Medicine
    |July 1, 1977
    PubMed

    Insights

    Factitious fever, though rare in fever of unknown origin cases, requires clinical suspicion. Unsuspected factitious fever can lead to extensive investigations and patient harm.

    Area of Science:

    • Internal Medicine
    • Psychiatry

    Background:

    • Fever of unknown origin (FUO) presents a diagnostic challenge.
    • Factitious fever is a rare but important consideration in FUO.

    Observation:

    • Patients may intentionally produce or feign symptoms of fever.
    • This behavior can mimic genuine febrile illnesses.

    Findings:

    • Factitious fever can lead to extensive and unnecessary medical investigations.
    • Misdiagnosis can result in inappropriate resource utilization, including prolonged hospital stays.

    Implications:

    • Maintaining a high index of suspicion for factitious fever is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
    • Early recognition prevents iatrogenic harm and optimizes patient management.
    • Consideration of factitious disorder is essential in unexplained febrile presentations.

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