Biomaterial Database

[Fever of unknown origin--a basic diagnostic program]. 1990

H Koch, and V Jenke

Data on 2,028 patients with fever of unclear origin (FUO) were analyzed and evaluated with respect to diagnostic errors. The following results were obtained: Fever of unclear origin is to be expected in about one per cent of in-patients. Most cases of FUO are caused microbially (37.0%). Neoplasms (19.2%) are in the second place. Rheumatic diseases and collagenoses cause fever of unclear origin in 11.2% of the cases. In 16.8% of the cases the cause of FUO could not be determined even after extensive diagnostics. Diagnostics can be considerably shortened and become more effective, if a check list is used, which includes the 15 most frequent causes of FUO.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003663	Decision Trees	A graphic device used in decision analysis, series of decision options are represented as branches (hierarchical).	Decision Tree,Tree, Decision,Trees, Decision
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D003952	Diagnostic Imaging	Any visual display of structural or functional patterns of organs or tissues for diagnostic evaluation. It includes measuring physiologic and metabolic responses to physical and chemical stimuli, as well as ultramicroscopy.	Imaging, Diagnostic,Imaging, Medical,Medical Imaging
D005335	Fever of Unknown Origin	Fever in which the etiology cannot be ascertained.	Unknown Origin Fever,Unknown Origin Fevers
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man