Nilufer Kutay Ordu Gokkaya ^A1, Meltem Dalyan Aras ^A1, Oznur Oken ^A1, Fusun Koseoglu ^A1
A1 Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital Ankara Turkey
DOI: 10.1080/16501970410001096

Objective: To investigate the incidence of fever during the post-acute rehabilitation phase in patients with brain injury. Design: Prospective study. Subjects: Seventy-four patients with brain injury. Methods: Patients were evaluated for the presence of fever during the rehabilitation phase. Demographics, time since injury, acute hospital and rehabilitation stay, brain injury and clinical characteristics were recorded for all subjects. Results: Of the study group, 36 patients (36/74; 48. 6%) had at least 1 event qualified as fever. The most common cause of fever was urinary tract infection. There were only 2 patients considered as having central fever. Fever was significantly more frequent in patients with a greater number of neurological impairments, more severe neurological impairments and a lower level of independence. The rehabilitation stay was prolonged in patients with fever. The average length of rehabilitation stay was 62. 5 days and 49. 8 days in patients with or without fever, respectively. Conclusion: Infection is the most common cause of fever after brain injury and the incidence of central fever is low.