“Masks” of fever of unknown origin in children

Abstract

   The article presents an analysis of cases of hospitalized children with fever of unknown origin. Purpose: to study the nosological structure of the causes of fever of unknown genesis in hospitalized children.   Material and methods: a retrospective analysis of the medical histories of children hospitalized in the pediatric department was carried out for 2022–2023. All children underwent a comprehensive laboratory and instrumental examination.   Results: the largest proportion (43,9 %) were school-age children who, in addition to fever, had complaints of weakness (87,8 %) and decreased appetite (85,4 %). Anemia (51,2 %), acceleration of ESR (47,6 %) and an increase in C-reactive protein (45,1 %) were most often recorded in the analyses. The causes of fever of unknown origin in 65,9 % of children were infectious diseases, in 19,5 % — autonomic dysfunction syndrome with a violation of thermoregulation, in 6,1 % — systemic connective tissue diseases, in 4,9 % — oncological pathology, in 2,4 % — inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.   The results of the study can be applied in pediatric practice, monitoring of children with infectious pathology.