Fever: Basic Mechanisms and Management

Abstract

This new book on fever was edited by Philip Mackowiak, chief of the medical service at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Baltimore. Dr Mackowiak has written three chapters himself—on drug fever, on the effects of pathogenic organisms (mostly bacteria), and on the influence of fever on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. All three chapters have appeared elsewhere as reviews. They have been somewhat expanded and reedited, and may have served as a stimulus for this book. The first few chapters are clearly written, scholarly reviews dealing with basic mechanisms of fever. Charles Dinarello's chapter on endogenous pyrogens starts with a historical overview and brings the reader right up to date with newer knowledge about the role of cytokines. The chapter is supported by 188 excellent references. Other chapters in this section cover thermoregulation, exogenous pyrogens, and prostaglandins. Further on there is another excellent chapter on antipyretics written by Wesley Clark. It has