title: Unexplained fever in the ED: analysis of 139 patients.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine C, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel. hanang@tasmc.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aviram
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Or
authors.forename: Yechezkel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sidi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate; D013995:Time; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents