[Recurrent febrile episodes--normal, periodic fever syndrome or immunodeficiency?].

Abstract

Fever is one of the main symptoms leading to medical evaluation. Not only infections cause fever but also inflammatory disorders. To distinguish one from another, a thorough medical history and clinical evaluation are needed. Sometimes, only the clinical course will reveal the diagnosis. PFAPA-Syndrome (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, adenitis) is the most frequent periodic fever syndrome in Switzerland. No diagnostic test is available to support the diagnosis. Some important diseases have to be ruled out, such as Immunodeficiency, cyclic neutropenia, chronic viral infections and rheumatologic disorders. To know the diagnosis of the PFAPA-Syndrome can help avoiding antibiotic courses for febrile episodes in infants. There is a clinical overlap to hereditary periodic fever syndromes as familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), Hyper-IgD and fever syndrome (HIDS), Tumor-necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) and others, in which a genetic basis for the disease has already been found.

• Authors: A Duppenthaler
• Journal: Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique (Ther Umsch) Vol. 63 Issue 10 Pg. 667-71 (Oct 2006) ISSN: 0040-5930 [Print] Switzerland
• Vernacular Title: Mein Kind ist immer krank--wann ist es wirklich krank? Vom periodischen Fiebersyndrom bis zum Immundefekt.
• PMID: 17048186 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Child
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Familial Mediterranean Fever (diagnosis)
• Fever of Unknown Origin (etiology)
• Humans
• Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes (diagnosis)
• Prognosis