Revised definition of 'fever of unknown origin': limitations and opportunities.
OBJECTIVE
The limitations and opportunities of revised definition of fevers of unknown origin (FUO) in comparison to conventional definition were investigated, and prehospital characteristics of the patients were detailed.


METHODS
The patients were grouped according to both revised and classic definitions of FUO.


RESULTS
Fifty-nine of the 80 patients (74%) met the conventional definition of FUO. Before their admissions, all patients had at least one course of antibiotic therapy. The aetiology was infectious in 52%, autoimmune in 19%, and neoplastic in 17%. In 12% of the cases, the reason for high fever could not be explained. The most common infectious aetiologies were various forms of tuberculosis (12%), brucellosis (12%), salmonella (7%) and malaria (5%). The revised definition inflated the rate of infectious aetiology.


CONCLUSIONS
A standardized set of diagnostic tools used in this study was suggested. The subjects of FUO series have to be screened for endemic infections.
Ergönül
Onder
O
Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. oergonul@hotmail.com
Willke
Ayşe
A
Azap
Alpay
A
Tekeli
Emin
E
D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010045:Outpatients; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology