Fever | |
---|---|
Other names | Pyrexia, febrile response, febrile[1][2] |
An analog medical thermometer showing a temperature of 38.7 °C or 101.7 °F | |
Specialty | Infectious disease, pediatrics |
Symptoms | Initially: shivering, feeling cold[3] Later: flushed, sweating[4] |
Complications | Febrile seizure[5] |
Causes | Increase in the body's temperature set point[6][7] |
Diagnostic method | Temperature > between 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F)[1][2][8] |
Differential diagnosis | Hyperthermia[2] |
Treatment | Based on underlying cause, not required for fever itself[3][9] |
Medication | Ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen)[9][10] |
Frequency | Common[3][11] |
Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point.[1][6][7] There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using values between 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F) in humans.[1][2][8] The increase in set point triggers increased muscle contractions and causes a feeling of cold.[3] This results in greater heat production and efforts to conserve heat.[4] When the set point temperature returns to normal, a person feels hot, becomes flushed, and may begin to sweat.[4] Rarely a fever may trigger a febrile seizure, with this being more common in young children.[5] Fevers do not typically go higher than 41 to 42 °C (105.8 to 107.6 °F).[7]
A fever can be caused by many medical conditions ranging from non-serious to life-threatening.[12] This includes viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections—such as influenza, the common cold, meningitis, urinary tract infections, appendicitis, COVID-19, and malaria.[12][13] Non-infectious causes include vasculitis, deep vein thrombosis, connective tissue disease, side effects of medication, and cancer.[12][14] It differs from hyperthermia, in that hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature over the temperature set point, due to either too much heat production or not enough heat loss.[2]
Treatment to reduce fever is generally not required.[3][9] Treatment of associated pain and inflammation, however, may be useful and help a person rest.[9] Medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol (acetaminophen) may help with this as well as lower temperature.[9][10] Measures such as putting a cool damp cloth on the forehead and having a slightly warm bath are not useful and may simply make a person more uncomfortable.[9] Children younger than three months require medical attention, as might people with serious medical problems such as a compromised immune system or people with other symptoms.[15] Hyperthermia does require treatment.[3]
Fever is one of the most common medical signs.[3] It is part of about 30% of healthcare visits by children[3] and occurs in up to 75% of adults who are seriously sick.[11] While fever evolved as a defense mechanism, treating fever does not appear to worsen outcomes.[16][17] Fever is often viewed with greater concern by parents and healthcare professionals than is usually deserved, a phenomenon known as fever phobia.[3][18]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Dinarello CA, Porat R (2018). "Chapter 15: Fever". In Jameson JL, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, Hauser SL, Longo DL, Loscalzo, J (eds.). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Vol. 1–2 (20th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9781259644030. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference
NC08
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e f g h i Sullivan JE, Farrar HC (March 2011). "Fever and antipyretic use in children". Pediatrics. 127 (3): 580–87. doi:10.1542/peds.2010-3852. PMID 21357332.
- ^ a b c Huether, Sue E. (2014). Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children (7th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 498. ISBN 978-0323293754. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ a b CDC Staff (31 March 2020). "Taking Care of Someone Who is Sick: Caring for Someone Sick at Home". Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ a b Kluger, Matthew J. (2015). Fever: Its Biology, Evolution, and Function. Princeton University Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-1400869831.
- ^ a b c Garmel GM, Mahadevan SV, eds. (2012). "Fever in adults". An introduction to clinical emergency medicine (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 375. ISBN 978-0521747769. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
CC09
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e f Richardson M, Purssell E (September 2015). "Who's afraid of fever?". Archives of Disease in Childhood. 100 (9): 818–20. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2014-307483. PMID 25977564. S2CID 206857750.
- ^ a b Garmel GM, Mahadevan SV, eds. (2012). An introduction to clinical emergency medicine (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 401. ISBN 978-0521747769.
- ^ a b Kiekkas P, Aretha D, Bakalis N, Karpouhtsi I, Marneras C, Baltopoulos GI (August 2013). "Fever effects and treatment in critical care: literature review". Australian Critical Care. 26 (3): 130–35. doi:10.1016/j.aucc.2012.10.004. PMID 23199670.
- ^ a b c Garmel GM, Mahadevan SV, eds. (2012). An introduction to clinical emergency medicine (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-0521747769.
- ^ Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Cardona-Ospina JA, Gutiérrez-Ocampo E, Villamizar-Peña R, Holguin-Rivera Y, Escalera-Antezana JP, Alvarado-Arnez LE, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Franco-Paredes C (13 March 2020). "Clinical, laboratory and imaging features of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis". Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 34: 101623. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101623. PMC 7102608. PMID 32179124.
- ^ Dayal R, Agarwal D (January 2016). "Fever in Children and Fever of Unknown Origin". Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 83 (1): 38–43. doi:10.1007/s12098-015-1724-4. PMID 25724501. S2CID 34481402.
- ^ "Fever". MedlinePlus. 30 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 May 2009.
- ^ Schaffner A (March 2006). "Fieber – nützliches oder schädliches, zu behandelndes Symptom?" [Fever–useful or noxious symptom that should be treated?]. Therapeutische Umschau (in German). 63 (3): 185–88. doi:10.1024/0040-5930.63.3.185. PMID 16613288. Abstract alone is in German and in English.
- ^ Niven DJ, Stelfox HT, Laupland KB (June 2013). "Antipyretic therapy in febrile critically ill adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis". Journal of Critical Care. 28 (3): 303–10. doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2012.09.009. PMID 23159136.
- ^ Crocetti M, Moghbeli N, Serwint J (June 2001). "Fever Phobia Revisited: Have Parental Misconceptions About Fever Changed in 20 Years?". Pediatrics. 107 (6): 1241–1246. doi:10.1542/peds.107.6.1241. PMID 11389237.