Psychogenic fever: entity or nonentity?
A review of the literature suggests that body temperature may rise when a person is under emotional stress. The term "psychogenic fever" has been applied to this phenomenon. A study of temperature and pulse rate of psychiatric patients diagnosed predominantly as neurotic in a university teaching hospital was undertaken. Changes in pulse rate indicated that the period before ward rounds was more stressful than other times of the day. However, psychogenic fever in these patients was not found. One case of factitious fever was uncovered during the study.
D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011674:Pulse; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*