Evaluation of Fever in the Intensive Care Unit / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Fever is a common and serious problem in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), but its cause is sometimes difficult to determine. Such fevers may be infectious or noninfectious. Infectious causes include ventilator-associated pneumonia, intravascular catheter-related infection, surgical site infection, catheter-related urinary tract infection, and Clostridium difficile infection. Noninfectious causes include transfusion reaction, drug fever, acute pancreatitis, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, adrenal insufficiency, and hyperthyroidism. The medical history should be reviewed carefully and a physical examination performed whenever fever occurs in patients in the ICU.