title: The spectrum of diseases causing fever of unknown origin in Turkey: a multicenter study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this trial was to determine the spectrum of diseases with fever of unknown origin (FUO) in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective multicenter study of 154 patients with FUO in twelve Turkish tertiary-care hospitals was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 42+/-17 years (range 17-75). Fifty-three (34.4%) had infectious diseases (ID), 47 (30.5%) had non-infectious inflammatory diseases (NIID), 22 (14.3%) had malignant diseases (MD), and eight (5.2%) had miscellaneous diseases (Mi). In 24 (15.6%) of the cases, the reason for high fever could not be determined despite intensive efforts. The most common ID etiologies were tuberculosis (13.6%) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (3.2%). Adult Still's disease was the most common NIID (13.6%) and hematological malignancy was the most common MD (7.8%). In patients with NIID, the mean duration of reaching a definite diagnosis (37+/-23 days) was significantly longer compared to the patients with ID (25+/-12 days) (p=0.007). In patients with MD, the mean duration of fever (51+/-35 days) was longer compared to patients with ID (37+/-38 days) (p=0.052).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although infection remains the most common cause of FUO, with the highest percentage for tuberculosis, non-infectious etiologies seem to have increased when compared with previous studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, GATA Haydarpasa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kucukardali
authors.forename: Oral
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oncul
authors.forename: Saban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavuslu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danaci
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calangu
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Ayse Willke
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Topcu
authors.forename: Zuhal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Adibelli
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akova
authors.forename: Emel Azak
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Karaali
authors.forename: Ahmet Melih
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ozel
authors.forename: Zahit
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bolaman
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caka
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cetin
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coban
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karabay
authors.forename: Cagla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karakoc
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.forename: Selda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Gulsen Ozkaya
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Alaaddin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pahsa
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sirmatel
authors.forename: Emrullah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solmazgul
authors.forename: Namik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.forename: Ilyas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tokatli
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Gulsen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yakupoglu
authors.forename: Bulent Ahmet
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Besirbellioglu
authors.forename: Hanefi Cem
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Gul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology