[A prospective study of clinical characteristics of fever after flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the incidence and clinical characteristics of fever after fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB).


METHODS
Between May 2004 and April 2005, the clinical characteristics of fever in immunocompetent and hospitalized patients undergoing FOB were prospectively studied.


RESULTS
One hundred and seventy-two hospitalized patients underwent FOB in this period, and 37 cases (22%) developed fever following FOB; in 32 (19%) the fever subsided within 24 h with a mean fever onset time of (3.5 +/- 1.7) h and mean fever duration of (10.8 +/- 6.7) h. There were significant increases in total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in the peripheral blood at 6 h after FOB compared to levels prior to FOB (all P < 0.01), but the numbers of leukocytes and neutrophils in patients with fever were significantly higher than those in patients without fever (all P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Fever after FOB occurs relatively frequently but transiently in immunocompetent adults. No special treatment is needed.
Deng
Xiao-mei
XM
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
Tan
Xing-yu
XY
Wang
Jin-guo
JG
He
Quan-ying
QY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies