An unusual cause of fever of unknown origin with enlarged lymph nodes—relapsing polychondritis: A case report

Liu, Wei; Jiang, Hongli; Jing, Han; Mao, Bing

The term of fever of unknown origin (FUO) was coined in the 1960s to define a body temperature above 38.3°C for >3 weeks without diagnosis, despite a comprehensive physical examination together with exhaustive laboratory tests. [1] It was recorded that no etiology could be determined in 10% to 32% of fever cases. [2] As fever could be an atypical presentation of frequent clinical pictures, identifying the etiological diagnosis for FUO is a great challenge for the clinicians. Although the majority cases with FUO are progressing favorably, about 5% patients have a final ominous prognosis with a neoplastic diagnosis, establishing the importance of cautious differential diagnosis for FUO. During the process of etiological diagnosis for FUO, it is significant to carry out a systematic workup following a logical order to promote the diagnosis and treatment. Some physical signs would present concomitantly with long-term fever, such as lymph nodes enlargement, which may help reach a diagnosis, but not always.