Hyperpyrexia in children. Eight-year emergency room experience.
In an eight-year period, 100 children were seen in a pediatric emergency room with a temperature of 41.1 C or higher, hereafter called hyperpyrexia. There was a significantly greater occurrence of bacterial meningitis in the hyperpyrexia group, compared to a group of 264 children with temperatures of 40.5 to 41.0 C. Bacteremia and seizures were also more common. Children with hyperpyrexia require careful evaluation, especially of the central nervous system.
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000150:complications; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000150:complications; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications