Fever of Unknown Origin: Series of Cases in the Last Six Months that Occurred in Internal Medicine

U.O. di Medicina Interna, AORN S. Anna e S. Sebastiano Caserta, Italy
Ambulatorio e DH di Reumatologia, PSI Napoli Est ASL Napoli 1 Centro, Italy
UOC di Medicina Interna, Ospedale V. Monaldi, Azienda dei Colli, Napoli, Italy

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Health Sci J

Abstract:

Background: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) represents about 3% of hospital admissions and has a strong impact on health systems. It is usually of unknown origin until it is associated with a probable or definitive diagnosis after a reasonable diagnostic workup. The etiologies can be grouped into 5 categories: infections, neoplasms, inflammatory diseases, various diseases and undiagnosed diseases. The relative frequencies of individual diagnoses vary by decade, geographic region, patient age, and type of medical practice. Very sophisticated diagnostic tools such as positron emission tomography (PET), biochemical, serological and cultural tests, FNAB, although they are attractive, it is not clear to what extent they can facilitate a diagnosis. We present a cases series of FUO hospitalized in the last six months. Discussion: Years after the first descriptions, the differential diagnosis of FUO has grown to include many new causes, especially diseases of the immune system. A meticulous medical history, thorough physical examination, discriminatory use of investigative procedures, patient observation is better than further blind investigative or therapeutic investigations. Despite all the advances in medicine, the medical art perhaps finds its maximum expression in the FUO diagnosis.

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