Fever of Unknown Origin in Rheumatic Diseases

Abstract

Noninfectious inflammatory diseases (connective tissue diseases, vasculitis syndromes, granulomatous diseases) emerged as the most frequent cause of fever of unknown origin in western countries. Among these diseases, giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica are the most frequent specific diagnosis in the elderly and adult-onset Still's disease the most frequent in younger patients. This article focuses on noninfectious inflammatory diseases as a cause of classic fever of unknown origin (mainly rheumatic diseases, such as vasculitis and connective tissue diseases).