Korean J Pediatr.  2007 Feb;50(2):127-131. 10.3345/kjp.2007.50.2.127.

Diagnostic approach to the fever of unknown origin in children: Emphasis on the infectious diseases

• Choi EH

• KMID: 2278714
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2007.50.2.127

Abstract

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) has been a convenient term used to classify patients who warrant a particular systemic approach to diagnostic evaluation and management. The greatest clinical concern in evaluating FUO is identifying patients whose fever has a serious or life-threatening cause when a delay in diagnosis could jeopardize successful intervention. Thorough history and complete physical examination are critical to uncover the etiologic diagnosis. Most cases of FUO in children are caused by atypical presentations of common diseases rather than by typical manifestations of rare disorders. Selection of diagnostic tests and speed of investigation should be guided by a knowledge of the disease severity, patient age, epidemiologic and geographic information, and any positive findings from a detailed history and physical examination. The three most common causes of FUO in children are infectious diseases, connective tissue diseases, and malignancy. In general, the prognosis of FUO in children is better than that of adults. Although the outcome is dependent on the primary disease process, fever abates spontaneously in most cases in whom the cause of fever remains unclear.

Keyword

Fever of unknown origin; Prolonged fever; Children

MeSH Terms

Adult
Child*
Communicable Diseases*
Connective Tissue Diseases
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Tests, Routine
Fever of Unknown Origin*
Fever*
Humans
Physical Examination
Prognosis