Fever resident survival guide (pediatrics)

Resident Survival Guide

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Marufa Marium, M.B.B.S[2]

Synonyms and keywords:

Fever resident survival guide (pediatrics) Microchapters
Overview
Causes
FIRE
Diagnosis
Treatment
Do's
Don'ts

Overview

Fever in Children is exceptionally recurrent presenting complaints in pediatric department or emergency department or primary care comprising of 15-25%. Most of the parents has immense concern regarding this complaints. Physiologic thermoregulatory elevation of body core temperature above the standard quotidian temperature may termed as fever. As an ancient presenting complaints fever is thought to be an evil spirits by most of the ancient civilizations for example Egyptian, Greek, Mesopotamian etc. There were various ideology regarding fever as the Roman used to worship a God of fever, whereas in the middle age, by Persian famous scholar Avicenna, fever was explained as increased temperature produced by heart diffusing throughout the whole body. 'The Medical renaissance' removed the confusion by describing fever as a physiologic response of an infection in eighteenth century. A number of factor influences fever for instances Chronological age, stage of activity, durational variations(lower body temperature in morning, and higher in late afternoon), food intake etc. The body core temperature is estimated from different parts of body. American Academy of pediatrics has provided information on the accuracy of rectal temperature in infants under four years. But due to its uneasiness of patients oral temperature is the most preferred method in usual population whereas in children under 5 years axillary temperature is sensitive in clinical settings. The mechanism of fever comprises of several components, it includes-Toxic insult/ Infection / inflammatory mediatiors → Macrophage/endothelial cells → Pyrogens(Exogenous: LPS from Gm- organism/ Toxin from Microorganism and EndogenousIL-6/IL-1/IFN-a/TNF-a/Ciliary neurotropic factor/Muramyl Dipeptidase/Enterotoxins) and Cryogens(IL-10, Hormones like MSH, CRH, Neuropeptide Y, Bombesisn, Thyroliberin) → endothelial cells of Hypothalamus → PGE2 → Cyclic AMP → Elevation of Thermoregulatory set point → Heat conservation and production by → fever. The most common cause of fever is infection of any variety like bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, other causes are due to malignancy, autoimmune, medications etc.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Life-threatening causes of fever includes red flag symptoms or signs (Impaired intake of food, Fussiness, Irritability, Inconsolable crying, Lethargy, Poor moto stimuli response, pallor or cyanosis or or ruddiness mottling of skin, tachycardia, tachypnea, Delayed CRT/ Hypovolemia with reduction in urine output, Bulging fontanelle, Petechial or purpuric or blanching rash, Nuchal rigidity, Rigors, Drooling, tripod position, Vomiting) along with high body core temperature that may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.

• Sepsis
• Toxic Shock Syndrome
• Scalded Skin Syndrome
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Influenza
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome/ Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
• Acute Rheumatic Fever
• Typhoid Fever
• Malaria, Dengue, West Nile Fever
• Encephalitis
• Osteomyelitis
• Septic Arthritis
• Mastoiditis
• Retropharyngeal Abscess
• Kawasaki Disease
• UTI
• Orbital Cellulitis
• Central line associated fever

Common Causes

• Infectious causes are bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal whereas noninfectious causes include autoimmune disease, malignancy, drug fever, congenital cause.
• Infectious:
  • Bacterial: Tonsillitis, abscess, sinusitis, tuberculosis, cellulitis/erysepelas, endocarditis, pyelonephritis, Shigellosis/bacilary dysentry, staphylococcal food poisoning, V.Parahemolyticus/ V.vulnificus/V.Cholerea infection, mycoplasma, listeriosis, brucellosis, bartonella, leptospirosis etc.
  • Viral: Adenovirus, RSV, CMV, EBV, HIV, HSV, Hepatitis virus, Parvo Virus, Enterovirus, Measles Virus, Mump Virus, Parainfluenza, Noro virus etc.
  • Fungal: Cryptosporidium, Candia, Blastomycosis, Histoplasmosis, Pneumocystis Jiroveci.
  • Parasitic: Malaria, Toxoplasmosis, Amebiasis, Ehrlichiosis, Q fever, Leishmaniasis, Helminthiasis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Non-infectious:

• • Malignancy / Hematologic: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, cyclic neutropenia, Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
  • Genetic / Congenital: Familial Mediterranean fever, TNF associated periodic fever syndrome, Neonatal Onset multisystem inflammatory disorder (NOMD), Familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, familial dysautonomia.
  • Autoimmune: Systemis juvenile idiopathic arthritis/still disease, granulomatosis with polyangitis, behcet disease, polyarteritis nodosa, henoch-scholen purpura, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, SLE, sarcoidosis, hyperthyroidism, benogn giant cell lymhnode hyperplasia/castleman disease, , juvenile dermatomyositis.
  • Other: Diabetes incipidus, pancreatitis, serum sickness, drug fever etc IG4 related disease, facttious fever, hypothalamic dysfunction.

FIRE: Focused Initial Rapid Evaluation

Focused Initial Rapid Evaluation is done following several criteria or guideline to identify and quantify the risk in febrile infants/children and clinically manage patients according to risk. The criteria or guidelines are:

• Rochester criteria (Infants up to 60 days of age)
• Philadelphia criteria (Infants from 29-60 days of age)
• Boston criteria(Infants of 28-89 days of age)
• The 2007 NICE traffic light system
• 'Red features' of 2013 NICE traffic light system
• The Dutch college of general practitioner guidelines
• Yale observation scale
• A pneumonia rule
• A meningitis rule

After evaluation with these criteria and guidelines, extensive clinical examination, Continuous monitoring, laboratory findings, parental reassurance and guidance, safety measurements aids adjunctive diagnostic approach in evaluation febrile infants/children.

Complete Diagnostic Approach

Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the diagnosis of fever in infants and young children according the the American Academy of Family Physician guidelines.

Diagnosis

Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the diagnosis of Fever in children.

{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | B01 | | | | | |B01=Physical Examination: •General appearance: Restlessness/ Irritable/lethargic/Inconsolable crying/fussiness?
• Skin: decreased or normal turgor/ pallor/cyanosis/Mottling/ruddiness/rash?
• HEENT: Headache/Dizziness/Bulging fontanelle/nuchal rigidity/rigors/rhinorrhea]]/otorrhoea/earche/erythematous tympanic membrane/orbital cellulitis/tender sinus point?
• CVS: Dysrhythmia/Tachycardia?
• Respiratory: Tachypnea/ Hypoxemia, Compensatory hypoventilation, Wheezing, stridor, rhonchi, crackles, [[increased or decreased fremitus Pulmonary microatelactasis, Increased V/Q mismatch
• GI: Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea?
• GU: Urine output, frequency?
• CNS: Confusion, loss of consciousness/Mental obtundation, Neuromuscular excitability/Muscle cramps, Poor motor stimuli response, Tremor, tingling and numbness in extremities, Weakness? }}

History: • H/O Familial Mediterranean fever/TNF associated periodic fever syndrome/Neonatal Onset multisystem inflammatory disorder (NOMD)/Familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome/familial dysautonomia? • Recent or current Antibiotics/Sulfa containing drug/diuretics/antiepileptic medication/antidepressant/digoxin/steroid]] use?

Younger than 29 days?

Expanded EABV(No sign of volume depletion or Saline unresponsive) •Treatment: Treat underlying cause.

Contracted EABV(sign of volume depletion or saline responsive) •Treatment: Replace volume with NaCl if depleted, correct electrolyte imbalance, reduction of gastric secretion by H2 blocker or PPI, discontinue diuretics, Acetazolamide, NH4Cl and HCl should be reserved for severe cases.

Rule out by history •Treatment: According to cause with discontinuation of offending agents.

Transient

Renal failure with ingestion

• IV HCO3 • Acute correction of hypercapnea

• Milk-alkali syndrome • HCO3 ingesion

GI loss(low urine Cl)

Renal loss(high urine Cl)

• Gastric: Vomiting, NG suction • Lower bowel: Villous adenoma, chloridorrhea, laxative abuse

• Non-reabsorbed ions: Penicillin • =Impaired tubular transport: Loop and thiazide diuretics, Barrter's and Gitelman's disease, Hypomagnesaemia

High Renin, High aldosterone:• Malignant hypertension • renovascular hypertension • Renin secretin tumor

Low Renin, High aldosterone:• Aldosterone secreting tumor • Adrenal hyperplasia • Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism

Low Renin, Low Aldosterone:• Licorice • Liddle's syndrome • Enzyme deficiency

Treatment

Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the treatment of [[disease name]] according the the [...] guidelines.

Do's

• The content in this section is in bullet points.

Don'ts

• The content in this section is in bullet points.