Unexplained fever in the ED: Analysis of 139 patients

Hanan Gur*, Ronen Aviram, Jacob Or, Yechezkel Sidi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examined consecutive patients with unexplained fever (UF) presenting to the ED to define their characteristics and to compare distinctive parameters between admitted and discharged patients. During a 3-month period, all adult patients presenting to the ED with UF were prospectively followed for 1 month. Of 139 patients with UF, 58 patients (42%) were admitted to the hospital, whereas 81 patients (58%) were discharged. Whereas most of the discharged patients had self-limited febrile disease and eventually recovered, the admitted patients had more unresolved fever, serious infections, or systemic diseases and a 5% mortality rate. The admitted patients were older, had more comorbidity, higher leukocyte count, and anemia, but not a higher degree of fever. Older age, comorbidity, leukocytosis, and anemia, but not higher degree of fever, should direct the decision toward admission of a patient with UF.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)230-235
Number of pages6
JournalAmerican Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume21
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • ED
  • Fever of unknown origin (FUO)
  • Unexplained fever

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