Objective To summarize the clinical features of spontaneous remission in classic fever of unknown origin(FUO).Methods Medical records of 121 patients diagnosed with FUO at admission in Peking Union Medical College Hos...Objective To summarize the clinical features of spontaneous remission in classic fever of unknown origin(FUO).Methods Medical records of 121 patients diagnosed with FUO at admission in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2018 and June 2018 were reviewed retrospectively.Patients who were discharged without etiological diagnoses were followed for 2 years.The clinical features and outcomes of these patients were summarized.Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze related factors of spontaneous remission of FUO.Results After excluding 2 patients who lost to follow-up,the etiology of 119 FUO patients were as follows:infectious diseases in 30(25.2%)cases,connective tissue diseases in 28(23.5%)cases,tumor diseases in 8(6.7%)cases,other diseases in 6(5.0%)cases,and unknown diagnoses in 47(39.5%)cases.Totally,41 patients experienced spontaneous remission of fever(the median time from onset to remission was 9 weeks,ranging from 4 to 39 weeks).In patients with spontaneous remission in FUO,lymphadenopathy was less common clinical manifestation,the levels of inflammatory markers including leukocyte count,neutrophil count,neutrophil ratio,C-reactive protein,and ferritin were lower,and the proportion of CD8 positive T lymphocytes expressing CD38 was lower.Multivariate logistic regression analysis of factors with a P-value<0.05 in univariate analysis shown that white blood cell count(OR:0.S45,95%CI:0.306-0.971,P=0.039),neutrophil count(OR:2.074,95%CI:1.004-4.284,P=0.049),and proportion of neutrophils(OR:0.928,95%Cl:0.871-0.990,P=0.022)were independent significant factors associated with spontaneous remission in FUO.Conclusions This study suggested that most patients discharged with undiagnosed classic FUO would remit spontaneously.Thus,for patients with stable clinical conditions,follow-up and observation could be the best choice.Patients with lower level of some inflammatory factors may have a high likelihood of spontaneous remission in classic FUO.展开更多
The diagnosis and treatment of fever of unknown origin (FUO) are huge challenges to clinicians.Separating the etiologies of FUO into infectious and non-infectious disease is conducive to clinical physicians not only o...The diagnosis and treatment of fever of unknown origin (FUO) are huge challenges to clinicians.Separating the etiologies of FUO into infectious and non-infectious disease is conducive to clinical physicians not only on making decisions rapidly concerning the prescription of suitable antibiotics but also on further analysis of the final diagnosis.In order to develop and validate a diagnostic tool to efficiently distinguish the etiologies of adult FUO patients as infectious or non-infectious disease,FUO patients from the departments of infectious disease and internal medicine in three Chinese tertiary hospitals were enrolled retrospectively and prospectively.By using polynomial logistic regression analysis,the diagnostic formula and the associated scoring system were developed.The variables included in this diagnostic formula were from clinical evaluations and common laboratory examinations.The proposed tool could discriminate infectious and noninfectious causes of FUO with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.83,sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.75.This diagnosis tool could predict the infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO in the validation cohort with an AUC of 0.79,sensitivity of 0.79 and specificity of 0.70.The results suggested that this diagnostic tool could be a reliable tool to discriminate between infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO.展开更多
The present study aimed to establish a list of parameters indicative of pathogen invasion and develop a predictive model to distinguish the etiologies of fever of unknown origin (FUO) into infectious and non-infectiou...The present study aimed to establish a list of parameters indicative of pathogen invasion and develop a predictive model to distinguish the etiologies of fever of unknown origin (FUO) into infectious and non-infectious causes.From January 2014 to September 2017,431 patients with FUO were prospectively enrolled in the study population.This study established a list of 26 variables from the following 4aspects:host factors,epidemiological factors,behavioral factors,and iatrogenic factors.Predefined predicted variables were included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis to develop a predictive model.The predictive model and the corresponding scoring system were developed using data from the confirmed diagnoses and 9 variables were eventually identified.These factors were incorporated into the predictive model.This model discriminated between infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO with an AUC of 0.72,sensitivity of 0.71, and specificity of 0.63.The predictive model and corresponding scoring system based on factors concerning pathogen invasion appear to be reliable screening tools to discriminate between infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO.展开更多
A 61-year-old male initially presented with fever of unknown origin. He had extensive work-up over two years including an infectious diseases panel, autoimmune studies, and Rheumatology and Hematology evaluations. The...A 61-year-old male initially presented with fever of unknown origin. He had extensive work-up over two years including an infectious diseases panel, autoimmune studies, and Rheumatology and Hematology evaluations. The patient was initially diagnosed with Adult Still’s disease and underwent an out-patient right nodal fine-needle aspiration that was indeterminate. After continued failure of treatment for Adult Still’s disease, the patient had surgical resection of a right axillary lymph node that yielded the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Further work-up revealed Epstein-Barr virus positivity, the possible trigger behind his mutation for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and its uncommon presentation. The patient met criteria for central nervous system prophylaxis and received multiple administrations throughout his therapy. He ultimately expired following recurrence of his disease at its initial site but without central nervous system involvement. We report an uncommon presentation of a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This lymphoma can have numerous, vague presentations requiring a broad differential diagnosis and may lead to multiple evaluations prior to an ultimate diagnosis. We will also discuss the need for central nervous system prophylaxis, how this patient is qualified for prophylaxis, and how central nervous system prophylaxis benefits, harms, or does not affect patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.展开更多
Fever of unknown origin is still a medical challenge. 67Ga single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images are commonly used to evaluate the final diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. We present...Fever of unknown origin is still a medical challenge. 67Ga single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images are commonly used to evaluate the final diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. We presented a case of fever of unknown origin undergone 67Ga scintigraphy and an intra-abdominal 67Ga avid tumor was detected which suspected to be a neoplasm. Further contrast enhanced computed tomography revealed that the lesion was a large renal carbuncle. We concluded that the contrast-enhanced CT or single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography with contrast enhancement can be performed to further improve diagnostic performance.展开更多
Background:Fever of unknown origin(FUO)in developing countries is an important dilemma and further research is needed to elucidate the infectious causes of FUO.Methods:A multi-center study for infectious causes of FUO...Background:Fever of unknown origin(FUO)in developing countries is an important dilemma and further research is needed to elucidate the infectious causes of FUO.Methods:A multi-center study for infectious causes of FUO in lower middle-income countries(LMIC)and lowincome countries(LIC)was conducted between January 1,2018 and January 1,2023.In total,15 participating centers from seven different countries provided the data,which were collected through the Infectious DiseasesInternational Research Initiative platform.Only adult patients with confirmed infection as the cause of FUO were included in the study.The severity parameters were quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(qSOFA)≥2,intensive care unit(ICU)admission,vasopressor use,and invasive mechanical ventilation(IMV).Results:A total of 160 patients with infectious FUO were included in the study.Overall,148(92.5%)patients had community-acquired infections and 12(7.5%)had hospital-acquired infections.The most common infectious syndromes were tuberculosis(TB)(n=27,16.9%),infective endocarditis(n=25,15.6%),malaria(n=21,13.1%),brucellosis(n=15,9.4%),and typhoid fever(n=9,5.6%).Plasmodium falciparum,Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Brucellae,Staphylococcus aureus,Salmonella typhi,and Rickettsiae were the leading infectious agents in this study.A total of 56(35.0%)cases had invasive procedures for diagnosis.The mean qSOFA score was 0.76±0.94{median(interquartile range[IQR]):0(0–1)}.ICU admission(n=26,16.2%),vasopressor use(n=14,8.8%),and IMV(n=10,6.3%)were not rare.Overall,38(23.8%)patients had at least one of the severity parameters.The mortality rate was 15(9.4%),and the mortality was attributable to the infection causing FUO in 12(7.5%)patients.Conclusions:In LMIC and LIC,tuberculosis and cardiac infections were the most severe and the leading infections causing FUO.展开更多
Fever of unknown (FUO) origin challenging clinical condition. The causes of FUO are diverse: possible etiologies include infectious diseases, chronic granulomatous diseases, malignity, connective tissue disorders and ...Fever of unknown (FUO) origin challenging clinical condition. The causes of FUO are diverse: possible etiologies include infectious diseases, chronic granulomatous diseases, malignity, connective tissue disorders and vasculitis. Giant cell arteritis which affects the aorta and its main branches, contributes up to 17% of cases with fever of unknown origin above age 50. There is increasing evidence for a role for18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of vasculitis and18F-FDG PET/CT is a useful technic for evaluation of the FUO. Clinical studies show that FDG-PET is a useful diagnostic aid in obscure cases of fever of unknown origin. We report here a case of a 54-year-old woman who present to our clinic with FUO due to giant cell vasculitis.展开更多
Background Fever of unknown origin(FUO)continues to challenge clinicians to determine an etiology and the need for treatment.This study explored the most common etiologies,characteristics,and average cost of hospitali...Background Fever of unknown origin(FUO)continues to challenge clinicians to determine an etiology and the need for treatment.This study explored the most common etiologies,characteristics,and average cost of hospitalization for FUO in a pediatric population at an urban,tertiary care hospital in Washington,DC.Methods Records from patients admitted to Children's National Health System between September 2008 and April 2014 with an admission ICD-9 code for fever(780.6)were reviewed.The charts of patients 2-18 years of age with no underlying diagnosis and a temperature greater than 38.3℃for 7 days or more at time of hospitalization were included.Final diagnoses,features of admission,and total hospital charges were abstracted.Results 110 patients qualified for this study.The majority of patients(n=42,38.2%)were discharged without a diagnosis.This was followed closely by infection,accounting for 37.2%(n=41)of patients.Rheumatologic disease was next(n=16,14.5%),followed by miscellaneous(n=6,5.4%)and oncologic diagnoses(n=5,4.5%).The average cost of hospitalization was 40,295 US dollars.Conclusions This study aligns with some of the most recent publications which report undiagnosed cases as the most common outcome in patients hospitalized with FUO.Understanding that,often no diagnosis is found may reassure patients,families,and clinicians.The cost associated with hospitalization for FUO may cause clinicians to reconsider inpatient admission for diagnostic work-up of fever,particularly given the evidence demonstrating that many patients are discharged without a diagnosis.展开更多
Background Despite the recent advances in medicine, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge even to expert physicians. To increase the knowledge of FUO, we conducted a retrospect...Background Despite the recent advances in medicine, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge even to expert physicians. To increase the knowledge of FUO, we conducted a retrospective study to investigate the causes of FUO and the change of major causes of FUO during the past 26 years. Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from 997 patients with FUO hospitalized at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) between January 2004 and October 2010. Furthermore, the results were compared to that reported in previous studies of FUO in PUMCH since 1985. Results Of the 997 FUO cases, definite diagnosis was eventually achieved in 797 (79.9%) patients. The most common cause of FUO was infectious diseases (479 cases, 48.0%), with tuberculosis accounting for 45.3% (217/479) of the cases of infections. One hundred and sixty-eight (16.9%) patients were diagnosed with connective tissue diseases, with Still's disease and vasculitis accounted for 31.5% (53/168) and 24.4% (41/168) of this category, respectively. Neoplasms and miscellaneous causes were found in 7.9% (79/997) and 7.1% (71/997), respectively. However, no definite diagnosis had been made in the remaining 200 (20.1%) cases until they were discharged from the hospital. Conclusions During different periods, infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, were the leading etiology of FUO and the proportion of tuberculosis had no significant difference. While the frequency of neoplasms was descending, the proportion of lymphoma in neoplasm was ascending; the frequency of undiagnosed'cases was increasing, but in most FUO cases the causes can be diagnosed eventually after careful analysis of clinical data.展开更多
We read with interest the article entitled: ‘Jejuno-jejunal invagination due to intestinal melanoma’ by Resta , et al. They reported a rare clinical case of a young woman with a bleeding jejunal melanoma, whose ear...We read with interest the article entitled: ‘Jejuno-jejunal invagination due to intestinal melanoma’ by Resta , et al. They reported a rare clinical case of a young woman with a bleeding jejunal melanoma, whose early clinical presentation was an intestinal invagination. The article is also referred to the rarity of gastrointestinal melanomas as well as their possible primary nature.展开更多
The applied value of serum hepcidin in differential diagnosis of infection fevers versus tumor fevers was explored.A total of 432 fever patients were selected according to the domestic fever of unknown origin(FUO) d...The applied value of serum hepcidin in differential diagnosis of infection fevers versus tumor fevers was explored.A total of 432 fever patients were selected according to the domestic fever of unknown origin(FUO) diagnostic criteria from our hospital between June 2010 and November 2013.Venous blood samples were taken on the day 1,5,10 after admission.The infection group(98 cases) and the tumor group(50 cases) were set up based on the clinical and laboratory findings.ELISA was used to determine the serum hepcidin and IL-6 levels.SPSS 13.0 was used for statistical analysis.Hepcidin showed obvious descending trend on the 10 th day in both the bacterial infection group(66 cases) and the virus infection group(32 cases),and the descending trend was similar to that of inflammatory indexes such as procalcitonin(PCT),hypersensitive C-reactive protein(h-CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),white blood cell(WBC),and ferritin.Serum hepcidin showed no obvious differences in the tumor group on the day 1,5,10 after admission.In the infection groups,serum hepcidin was positively correlated with IL-6(r=0.687,P=0.000) and CRP(r=0.487,P=0.026),but had a poor correlation with blood sedimentation,ferritin,PCT and WBC(P〉0.05).Monitoring dynamic changes of hepcidin and related inflammatory factors in patients with fever is expected to be used for clinical identification of infection fever and tumor fever.展开更多
The UK raised an alert with the World Health Organization(WHO)in April 2022 concerning a significant surge in the num-ber of children diagnosed with acute hepatitis of unknown origin(AHUO).Despite an ongoing investiga...The UK raised an alert with the World Health Organization(WHO)in April 2022 concerning a significant surge in the num-ber of children diagnosed with acute hepatitis of unknown origin(AHUO).Despite an ongoing investigation attributing its etiology to adenovirus infection,the absence of adenovirus inclusions in liver biopsies and the remarkably low viral load raised doubts.Concurrently,reports of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infections in children coincided with the surge in acute hepatitis cases,prompting the need for a thorough examination of the poten-tial connection between current or past SARS-CoV-2 infections and pediatric hepatitis epidemics.Epidemiological data suggests that acute hepatitis is a notable manifestation of the multiple-system inflammatory syndrome in children following the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.However,the precise role of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in liver injury etiology remains uncertain.To shed light on the potential association between SARS-CoV-2 and AHUO in children,we conduct-ed a systematic review of epidemiological links,potential pathogenesis,and recent research findings,aiming to raise awareness and vigilance among clinicians.Convincing and definitive evidence will be essential in the future to confirm the direct impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on children with AHUO.展开更多
Around 450 cases of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children have been reported in 21 countries and region globally since April 2022,which has exceeded the past annual incidences of related regions,and has...Around 450 cases of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children have been reported in 21 countries and region globally since April 2022,which has exceeded the past annual incidences of related regions,and has aroused wide concern.Affected patients were predominantly children under 16years of age,presented with symptoms of acute hepatitis with markedly elevated liver enzymes,and had been ruled out of common viral infections such as hepatitis A,B,C,D,and E.Similar cases have not been reported in China yet.However,considering that the severe acute hepatitis has involved worldwide areas,still with unknown origin,and incidences of severity is relatively high,we formulated this recommendation to standardize diagnosis and treatment of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin in Peking Union Medical College Hospital,to get fully prepared to the possible public health events.展开更多
In May 2022, the UK International Health Regulations National Focal Point notified World Health Organization of 176 cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children under 10 years of age. From that mome...In May 2022, the UK International Health Regulations National Focal Point notified World Health Organization of 176 cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children under 10 years of age. From that moment on, cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children began to be reported in several countries. As of June 17, 2022, a total of 991 cases had been reported in 35 countries worldwide, 50 children needed a liver transplant and 28 patients died. According to information published by ECDC, 449 cases have been detected in 21 EU countries. The children were between 1 month and 16 years of age. Adenovirus was detected in 62.2% of the analyzed samples. So far, the cause of these cases is unknown and many hypotheses remain open, but hepatitis A-E viruses and COVID-19 vaccines have been ruled out. A possible hypothesis has been published to explain the cause of these cases of severe hepatitis, according to which it could be a consequence of adenovirus infection in the intestine in healthy children previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. No other clear epidemiological risk factors have been identified to date. Thus, at this time, the etiology of the current cases of hepatitis remains under active investigation.展开更多
The management of cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary site is still a therapeutic challenge.We report here our experience in treating these patients with chemoradiotherapy...The management of cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary site is still a therapeutic challenge.We report here our experience in treating these patients with chemoradiotherapy as a curative approach.Data from 40 patients were reviewed.In total,20(50%) patients underwent excisional biopsy.All patients underwent radiotherapy,which was delivered to both sides of the neck and pharyngeal mucosa(extensive field),and concurrent chemotherapy consisting of weekly cisplatin at a dose of 40 mg/m2.The clinical stage of the cervical nodes at presentation was N1 in 25%,N2 in 60%,and N3 in 15%.Most patients(75%) developed at least grade 3 mucositis.Eight patients(20%) had grade 3 xerostomia and 18 patients(45%) required esophageal dilation for stricture.The 5-year overall survival(OS) rate of all patients was 67.5%.The 5-year OS rates of patients with N1,N2,and N3 lesions were 100%,67%,and 41%,respectively(P = 0.046).The 5-year progression-free survival rate was 62.5%.In multivariate analysis,only N stage significantly affected OS(P = 0.022).Emergence of the occult primary was very limited(1 patient only).Our results suggest that extensive irradiation of both sides of the neck and pharyngeal mucosa with concurrent chemotherapy results in a lower emergence of primary tumor.Because the survival of patients with unknown primary is comparable to that of patients with known primary,an attempt at cure should always be made.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(HLH)is a rare,life-threatening disorder caused by abnormal histiocytes and T cell activation.In adults,it is predominantly associated with infections,cancers,and autoimmun...BACKGROUND Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(HLH)is a rare,life-threatening disorder caused by abnormal histiocytes and T cell activation.In adults,it is predominantly associated with infections,cancers,and autoimmune diseases.Relapsing polychondritis(RP),another rare disease,is diagnosed based on symptoms without specific tests,featuring cartilage inflammation characterized by swelling,redness,and pain,rarely inducing HLH.CASE SUMMARY A 74-year-old woman visited the emergency room with a fever of 38.6℃.Blood tests,cultures,and imaging were performed to evaluate fever.Results showed increased fluorescent antinuclear antibody levels and mild cytopenia,with no other specific findings.Imaging revealed lymph node enlargement was observed;however,biopsy results were inconclusive.Upon re-evaluation of the physical exam,inflammatory signs suggestive of RP were observed in the ears and nose,prompting a tissue biopsy for confirmation.Simultaneously,persistent fever accompanied by cytopenia prompted a bone marrow examination,revealing hemophagocytic cells.After finding no significant results in blood culture,viral markers,and tissue examination of enlarged lymph nodes,HLH was diagnosed by RP.Treatment involved methylprednisolone followed by azathioprine.After two months,bone marrow examination confirmed resolution of hemophagocytosis,with normalization of hyperferritinemia and pancytopenia.CONCLUSION Thorough physical examination enabled diagnosis and treatment of HLH trig gered by RP in patients presenting with fever of unknown origin.展开更多
目的了解183例发热待查(fever of unknown origin,FUO)患者的病因分布特点,比较其在不同医院、年龄段、性别、热程的病因构成,为临床诊治提供参考。方法回顾性分析郑州市第六人民医院及北京大学第一医院感染疾病科2022年8月至2023年10...目的了解183例发热待查(fever of unknown origin,FUO)患者的病因分布特点,比较其在不同医院、年龄段、性别、热程的病因构成,为临床诊治提供参考。方法回顾性分析郑州市第六人民医院及北京大学第一医院感染疾病科2022年8月至2023年10月收治的183例FUO住院患者的临床资料,按病因分为感染性疾病93例、非感染性炎症性疾病(non-infectious inflammatory diseases,NIID)42例、肿瘤性疾病14例、其他疾病21例、诊断不明13例,比较在不同医院、不同年龄段、不同性别、不同热程的病因分布差异。采用χ^(2)检验进行比较。结果纳入FUO患者中男性占61.20%(112/183),年龄(49.70±19.09)岁,细菌感染、成人Still病、淋巴瘤、坏死性淋巴结炎分别为各组确诊患者中常见病因。两家医院FUO患者中感染性疾病例数占比分别为64.29%(27/42)、46.81%(66/141),差异有统计学意义(χ^(2)=3.96,P<0.05);31~45岁患者感染性疾病数占比高于15~30岁患者[63.89%(23/36)比34.15%(14/41),χ^(2)=6.79,P<0.05];15~30岁患者其他疾病占比[29.27%(12/41)]高于其他各组患者(χ^(2)=4.10、6.35、9.51,均P<0.05);女性NIID占比高于男性[33.80%(24/71)比16.07%(18/112),χ^(2)=7.73,P<0.05];热程>3个月的感染性疾病患者占比[12.50%(3/24)]低于热程<1个月与热程1~3个月患者[61.33%(46/75)、52.38%(44/84)](χ^(2)=15.45、10.51,均P<0.05);热程>3个月的肿瘤性疾病患者占比高于热程<1个月的患者[20.83%(5/24)比4.00%(3/75);χ^(2)=4.86,P<0.05];热程>3个月的诊断不明病例数占比高于热程<1个月的患者[16.67%(4/24)比2.67%(2/75),χ^(2)=4.04,P<0.05]。结论对于FUO患者,应首先考虑感染性疾病。不同医院、年龄、性别、热程的FUO患者病因构成可能有所不同,应结合患者临床特点进行精确、快速的相关检验及检查以尽快明确病因。展开更多
基金funded by the Major National Science and Technology Projects for the Control and Prevention of Major Infectious Diseases of China(2017ZX10201302-003)Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(2016-I2M-1-013).
文摘Objective To summarize the clinical features of spontaneous remission in classic fever of unknown origin(FUO).Methods Medical records of 121 patients diagnosed with FUO at admission in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2018 and June 2018 were reviewed retrospectively.Patients who were discharged without etiological diagnoses were followed for 2 years.The clinical features and outcomes of these patients were summarized.Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze related factors of spontaneous remission of FUO.Results After excluding 2 patients who lost to follow-up,the etiology of 119 FUO patients were as follows:infectious diseases in 30(25.2%)cases,connective tissue diseases in 28(23.5%)cases,tumor diseases in 8(6.7%)cases,other diseases in 6(5.0%)cases,and unknown diagnoses in 47(39.5%)cases.Totally,41 patients experienced spontaneous remission of fever(the median time from onset to remission was 9 weeks,ranging from 4 to 39 weeks).In patients with spontaneous remission in FUO,lymphadenopathy was less common clinical manifestation,the levels of inflammatory markers including leukocyte count,neutrophil count,neutrophil ratio,C-reactive protein,and ferritin were lower,and the proportion of CD8 positive T lymphocytes expressing CD38 was lower.Multivariate logistic regression analysis of factors with a P-value<0.05 in univariate analysis shown that white blood cell count(OR:0.S45,95%CI:0.306-0.971,P=0.039),neutrophil count(OR:2.074,95%CI:1.004-4.284,P=0.049),and proportion of neutrophils(OR:0.928,95%Cl:0.871-0.990,P=0.022)were independent significant factors associated with spontaneous remission in FUO.Conclusions This study suggested that most patients discharged with undiagnosed classic FUO would remit spontaneously.Thus,for patients with stable clinical conditions,follow-up and observation could be the best choice.Patients with lower level of some inflammatory factors may have a high likelihood of spontaneous remission in classic FUO.
文摘The diagnosis and treatment of fever of unknown origin (FUO) are huge challenges to clinicians.Separating the etiologies of FUO into infectious and non-infectious disease is conducive to clinical physicians not only on making decisions rapidly concerning the prescription of suitable antibiotics but also on further analysis of the final diagnosis.In order to develop and validate a diagnostic tool to efficiently distinguish the etiologies of adult FUO patients as infectious or non-infectious disease,FUO patients from the departments of infectious disease and internal medicine in three Chinese tertiary hospitals were enrolled retrospectively and prospectively.By using polynomial logistic regression analysis,the diagnostic formula and the associated scoring system were developed.The variables included in this diagnostic formula were from clinical evaluations and common laboratory examinations.The proposed tool could discriminate infectious and noninfectious causes of FUO with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.83,sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.75.This diagnosis tool could predict the infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO in the validation cohort with an AUC of 0.79,sensitivity of 0.79 and specificity of 0.70.The results suggested that this diagnostic tool could be a reliable tool to discriminate between infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO.
文摘The present study aimed to establish a list of parameters indicative of pathogen invasion and develop a predictive model to distinguish the etiologies of fever of unknown origin (FUO) into infectious and non-infectious causes.From January 2014 to September 2017,431 patients with FUO were prospectively enrolled in the study population.This study established a list of 26 variables from the following 4aspects:host factors,epidemiological factors,behavioral factors,and iatrogenic factors.Predefined predicted variables were included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis to develop a predictive model.The predictive model and the corresponding scoring system were developed using data from the confirmed diagnoses and 9 variables were eventually identified.These factors were incorporated into the predictive model.This model discriminated between infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO with an AUC of 0.72,sensitivity of 0.71, and specificity of 0.63.The predictive model and corresponding scoring system based on factors concerning pathogen invasion appear to be reliable screening tools to discriminate between infectious and non-infectious causes of FUO.
文摘A 61-year-old male initially presented with fever of unknown origin. He had extensive work-up over two years including an infectious diseases panel, autoimmune studies, and Rheumatology and Hematology evaluations. The patient was initially diagnosed with Adult Still’s disease and underwent an out-patient right nodal fine-needle aspiration that was indeterminate. After continued failure of treatment for Adult Still’s disease, the patient had surgical resection of a right axillary lymph node that yielded the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Further work-up revealed Epstein-Barr virus positivity, the possible trigger behind his mutation for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and its uncommon presentation. The patient met criteria for central nervous system prophylaxis and received multiple administrations throughout his therapy. He ultimately expired following recurrence of his disease at its initial site but without central nervous system involvement. We report an uncommon presentation of a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This lymphoma can have numerous, vague presentations requiring a broad differential diagnosis and may lead to multiple evaluations prior to an ultimate diagnosis. We will also discuss the need for central nervous system prophylaxis, how this patient is qualified for prophylaxis, and how central nervous system prophylaxis benefits, harms, or does not affect patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
文摘Fever of unknown origin is still a medical challenge. 67Ga single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images are commonly used to evaluate the final diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. We presented a case of fever of unknown origin undergone 67Ga scintigraphy and an intra-abdominal 67Ga avid tumor was detected which suspected to be a neoplasm. Further contrast enhanced computed tomography revealed that the lesion was a large renal carbuncle. We concluded that the contrast-enhanced CT or single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography with contrast enhancement can be performed to further improve diagnostic performance.
文摘Background:Fever of unknown origin(FUO)in developing countries is an important dilemma and further research is needed to elucidate the infectious causes of FUO.Methods:A multi-center study for infectious causes of FUO in lower middle-income countries(LMIC)and lowincome countries(LIC)was conducted between January 1,2018 and January 1,2023.In total,15 participating centers from seven different countries provided the data,which were collected through the Infectious DiseasesInternational Research Initiative platform.Only adult patients with confirmed infection as the cause of FUO were included in the study.The severity parameters were quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(qSOFA)≥2,intensive care unit(ICU)admission,vasopressor use,and invasive mechanical ventilation(IMV).Results:A total of 160 patients with infectious FUO were included in the study.Overall,148(92.5%)patients had community-acquired infections and 12(7.5%)had hospital-acquired infections.The most common infectious syndromes were tuberculosis(TB)(n=27,16.9%),infective endocarditis(n=25,15.6%),malaria(n=21,13.1%),brucellosis(n=15,9.4%),and typhoid fever(n=9,5.6%).Plasmodium falciparum,Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Brucellae,Staphylococcus aureus,Salmonella typhi,and Rickettsiae were the leading infectious agents in this study.A total of 56(35.0%)cases had invasive procedures for diagnosis.The mean qSOFA score was 0.76±0.94{median(interquartile range[IQR]):0(0–1)}.ICU admission(n=26,16.2%),vasopressor use(n=14,8.8%),and IMV(n=10,6.3%)were not rare.Overall,38(23.8%)patients had at least one of the severity parameters.The mortality rate was 15(9.4%),and the mortality was attributable to the infection causing FUO in 12(7.5%)patients.Conclusions:In LMIC and LIC,tuberculosis and cardiac infections were the most severe and the leading infections causing FUO.
文摘Fever of unknown (FUO) origin challenging clinical condition. The causes of FUO are diverse: possible etiologies include infectious diseases, chronic granulomatous diseases, malignity, connective tissue disorders and vasculitis. Giant cell arteritis which affects the aorta and its main branches, contributes up to 17% of cases with fever of unknown origin above age 50. There is increasing evidence for a role for18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of vasculitis and18F-FDG PET/CT is a useful technic for evaluation of the FUO. Clinical studies show that FDG-PET is a useful diagnostic aid in obscure cases of fever of unknown origin. We report here a case of a 54-year-old woman who present to our clinic with FUO due to giant cell vasculitis.
文摘Background Fever of unknown origin(FUO)continues to challenge clinicians to determine an etiology and the need for treatment.This study explored the most common etiologies,characteristics,and average cost of hospitalization for FUO in a pediatric population at an urban,tertiary care hospital in Washington,DC.Methods Records from patients admitted to Children's National Health System between September 2008 and April 2014 with an admission ICD-9 code for fever(780.6)were reviewed.The charts of patients 2-18 years of age with no underlying diagnosis and a temperature greater than 38.3℃for 7 days or more at time of hospitalization were included.Final diagnoses,features of admission,and total hospital charges were abstracted.Results 110 patients qualified for this study.The majority of patients(n=42,38.2%)were discharged without a diagnosis.This was followed closely by infection,accounting for 37.2%(n=41)of patients.Rheumatologic disease was next(n=16,14.5%),followed by miscellaneous(n=6,5.4%)and oncologic diagnoses(n=5,4.5%).The average cost of hospitalization was 40,295 US dollars.Conclusions This study aligns with some of the most recent publications which report undiagnosed cases as the most common outcome in patients hospitalized with FUO.Understanding that,often no diagnosis is found may reassure patients,families,and clinicians.The cost associated with hospitalization for FUO may cause clinicians to reconsider inpatient admission for diagnostic work-up of fever,particularly given the evidence demonstrating that many patients are discharged without a diagnosis.
文摘Background Despite the recent advances in medicine, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge even to expert physicians. To increase the knowledge of FUO, we conducted a retrospective study to investigate the causes of FUO and the change of major causes of FUO during the past 26 years. Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from 997 patients with FUO hospitalized at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) between January 2004 and October 2010. Furthermore, the results were compared to that reported in previous studies of FUO in PUMCH since 1985. Results Of the 997 FUO cases, definite diagnosis was eventually achieved in 797 (79.9%) patients. The most common cause of FUO was infectious diseases (479 cases, 48.0%), with tuberculosis accounting for 45.3% (217/479) of the cases of infections. One hundred and sixty-eight (16.9%) patients were diagnosed with connective tissue diseases, with Still's disease and vasculitis accounted for 31.5% (53/168) and 24.4% (41/168) of this category, respectively. Neoplasms and miscellaneous causes were found in 7.9% (79/997) and 7.1% (71/997), respectively. However, no definite diagnosis had been made in the remaining 200 (20.1%) cases until they were discharged from the hospital. Conclusions During different periods, infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, were the leading etiology of FUO and the proportion of tuberculosis had no significant difference. While the frequency of neoplasms was descending, the proportion of lymphoma in neoplasm was ascending; the frequency of undiagnosed'cases was increasing, but in most FUO cases the causes can be diagnosed eventually after careful analysis of clinical data.
文摘We read with interest the article entitled: ‘Jejuno-jejunal invagination due to intestinal melanoma’ by Resta , et al. They reported a rare clinical case of a young woman with a bleeding jejunal melanoma, whose early clinical presentation was an intestinal invagination. The article is also referred to the rarity of gastrointestinal melanomas as well as their possible primary nature.
文摘The applied value of serum hepcidin in differential diagnosis of infection fevers versus tumor fevers was explored.A total of 432 fever patients were selected according to the domestic fever of unknown origin(FUO) diagnostic criteria from our hospital between June 2010 and November 2013.Venous blood samples were taken on the day 1,5,10 after admission.The infection group(98 cases) and the tumor group(50 cases) were set up based on the clinical and laboratory findings.ELISA was used to determine the serum hepcidin and IL-6 levels.SPSS 13.0 was used for statistical analysis.Hepcidin showed obvious descending trend on the 10 th day in both the bacterial infection group(66 cases) and the virus infection group(32 cases),and the descending trend was similar to that of inflammatory indexes such as procalcitonin(PCT),hypersensitive C-reactive protein(h-CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),white blood cell(WBC),and ferritin.Serum hepcidin showed no obvious differences in the tumor group on the day 1,5,10 after admission.In the infection groups,serum hepcidin was positively correlated with IL-6(r=0.687,P=0.000) and CRP(r=0.487,P=0.026),but had a poor correlation with blood sedimentation,ferritin,PCT and WBC(P〉0.05).Monitoring dynamic changes of hepcidin and related inflammatory factors in patients with fever is expected to be used for clinical identification of infection fever and tumor fever.
基金supported by Wuxi Municipal Medical Innovation Team (CXTD2021013).
文摘The UK raised an alert with the World Health Organization(WHO)in April 2022 concerning a significant surge in the num-ber of children diagnosed with acute hepatitis of unknown origin(AHUO).Despite an ongoing investigation attributing its etiology to adenovirus infection,the absence of adenovirus inclusions in liver biopsies and the remarkably low viral load raised doubts.Concurrently,reports of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infections in children coincided with the surge in acute hepatitis cases,prompting the need for a thorough examination of the poten-tial connection between current or past SARS-CoV-2 infections and pediatric hepatitis epidemics.Epidemiological data suggests that acute hepatitis is a notable manifestation of the multiple-system inflammatory syndrome in children following the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.However,the precise role of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in liver injury etiology remains uncertain.To shed light on the potential association between SARS-CoV-2 and AHUO in children,we conduct-ed a systematic review of epidemiological links,potential pathogenesis,and recent research findings,aiming to raise awareness and vigilance among clinicians.Convincing and definitive evidence will be essential in the future to confirm the direct impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on children with AHUO.
文摘Around 450 cases of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children have been reported in 21 countries and region globally since April 2022,which has exceeded the past annual incidences of related regions,and has aroused wide concern.Affected patients were predominantly children under 16years of age,presented with symptoms of acute hepatitis with markedly elevated liver enzymes,and had been ruled out of common viral infections such as hepatitis A,B,C,D,and E.Similar cases have not been reported in China yet.However,considering that the severe acute hepatitis has involved worldwide areas,still with unknown origin,and incidences of severity is relatively high,we formulated this recommendation to standardize diagnosis and treatment of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin in Peking Union Medical College Hospital,to get fully prepared to the possible public health events.
文摘In May 2022, the UK International Health Regulations National Focal Point notified World Health Organization of 176 cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children under 10 years of age. From that moment on, cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children began to be reported in several countries. As of June 17, 2022, a total of 991 cases had been reported in 35 countries worldwide, 50 children needed a liver transplant and 28 patients died. According to information published by ECDC, 449 cases have been detected in 21 EU countries. The children were between 1 month and 16 years of age. Adenovirus was detected in 62.2% of the analyzed samples. So far, the cause of these cases is unknown and many hypotheses remain open, but hepatitis A-E viruses and COVID-19 vaccines have been ruled out. A possible hypothesis has been published to explain the cause of these cases of severe hepatitis, according to which it could be a consequence of adenovirus infection in the intestine in healthy children previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. No other clear epidemiological risk factors have been identified to date. Thus, at this time, the etiology of the current cases of hepatitis remains under active investigation.
文摘The management of cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary site is still a therapeutic challenge.We report here our experience in treating these patients with chemoradiotherapy as a curative approach.Data from 40 patients were reviewed.In total,20(50%) patients underwent excisional biopsy.All patients underwent radiotherapy,which was delivered to both sides of the neck and pharyngeal mucosa(extensive field),and concurrent chemotherapy consisting of weekly cisplatin at a dose of 40 mg/m2.The clinical stage of the cervical nodes at presentation was N1 in 25%,N2 in 60%,and N3 in 15%.Most patients(75%) developed at least grade 3 mucositis.Eight patients(20%) had grade 3 xerostomia and 18 patients(45%) required esophageal dilation for stricture.The 5-year overall survival(OS) rate of all patients was 67.5%.The 5-year OS rates of patients with N1,N2,and N3 lesions were 100%,67%,and 41%,respectively(P = 0.046).The 5-year progression-free survival rate was 62.5%.In multivariate analysis,only N stage significantly affected OS(P = 0.022).Emergence of the occult primary was very limited(1 patient only).Our results suggest that extensive irradiation of both sides of the neck and pharyngeal mucosa with concurrent chemotherapy results in a lower emergence of primary tumor.Because the survival of patients with unknown primary is comparable to that of patients with known primary,an attempt at cure should always be made.
文摘BACKGROUND Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(HLH)is a rare,life-threatening disorder caused by abnormal histiocytes and T cell activation.In adults,it is predominantly associated with infections,cancers,and autoimmune diseases.Relapsing polychondritis(RP),another rare disease,is diagnosed based on symptoms without specific tests,featuring cartilage inflammation characterized by swelling,redness,and pain,rarely inducing HLH.CASE SUMMARY A 74-year-old woman visited the emergency room with a fever of 38.6℃.Blood tests,cultures,and imaging were performed to evaluate fever.Results showed increased fluorescent antinuclear antibody levels and mild cytopenia,with no other specific findings.Imaging revealed lymph node enlargement was observed;however,biopsy results were inconclusive.Upon re-evaluation of the physical exam,inflammatory signs suggestive of RP were observed in the ears and nose,prompting a tissue biopsy for confirmation.Simultaneously,persistent fever accompanied by cytopenia prompted a bone marrow examination,revealing hemophagocytic cells.After finding no significant results in blood culture,viral markers,and tissue examination of enlarged lymph nodes,HLH was diagnosed by RP.Treatment involved methylprednisolone followed by azathioprine.After two months,bone marrow examination confirmed resolution of hemophagocytosis,with normalization of hyperferritinemia and pancytopenia.CONCLUSION Thorough physical examination enabled diagnosis and treatment of HLH trig gered by RP in patients presenting with fever of unknown origin.