title: Fever during post-acute rehabilitation in patients with brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence of fever during the post-acute rehabilitation phase in patients with brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four patients with brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were evaluated for the presence of fever during the rehabilitation phase. Demographics, time since injury, acute hospital and rehabilitation stay, brain injury and clinical characteristics were recorded for all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the study group, 36 patients (36/74; 48.6%) had at least 1 event qualified as fever. The most common cause of fever was urinary tract infection. There were only 2 patients considered as having central fever. Fever was significantly more frequent in patients with a greater number of neurological impairments, more severe neurological impairments and a lower level of independence. The rehabilitation stay was prolonged in patients with fever. The average length of rehabilitation stay was 62.5 days and 49.8 days in patients with or without fever, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infection is the most common cause of fever after brain injury and the incidence of central fever is low.
authors.affiliation: Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilufer Kutay
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ordu Gokkaya
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dalyan Aras
authors.forename: Oznur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oken
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koseoglu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications