Fever - Tutorial Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is normal body temp?
Just above 37C
What temperature indicates a fever?
> 37.5C
Abrupt rise in fever may lead to what?
Rigors
What is rigors?
Uncontrollable shaking of the body
Where is body heat regulated?
Temperature sensitive cells in the hypothalamus
Why is a fever during infection actually probably beneficial?
Immune system more effective
Organisms less well adapted to high temperature
What are different fever patterns?
Swinging fever Sustained fever Remittent fever Tertian fever Pel-Ebstein fever Low grade fever
What may cause a swinging fever?
Abscesses
What may cause a sustained fever?
Pneumococcal pneumonia
What may cause a remittent fever?
Most infectious diseases
What is a remittent fever?
Fever varies through day but body temperature is not normal at any points
When do you see a tertian fever?
Malaria (noon every 2nd day)
What is the pattern of a Pel-Ebstein fever?
Fever of a few days followed by normal period
What is a Pel-Ebstein fever suggestive of?
Lymphoma
What is a low grade fever?
Accentuated normal diurnal changes
Where does a central line sit?
In SVC
What are central lines used for?
Delivering blood products/TPN
What organism is usually responsible for central line sepsis?
Staph aureus
How is central line sepsis managed?
remove line
Culture blood and cannula
Antibiotic
What are the 4 broad categories of aetiologies of pyrexia of unknown origin?
Infections
Inflammatory
Malignancy
Miscellaneous
What are infectious causes of PUO?
SBE Chronic pyelonephritis OM Chronic sinusitis Liver abscess TB Brucellosis Q fever, HIV/Syphillis
What are inflammatory causes of PUO?
Rheumatic fever IBD Polyarteritis nodosa Chronic sinusitis SLE RA TA Familial fevers
What are malignant causes of PUO?
Lymphoma
Leukaemia
Polycythaemia rubra vera
Tumours - hypernephroma, ovarian, hepatoma, lung
What are miscellaneous causes of PUO?
Recurrent pulmonary emboli
Atrial myxoma
