The type of fever in which the temperature fluctuates more than 2°C , all above normal, during a 24 hour peri… - AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (shift-2)

AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (shift-2)

Nursing Foundation

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (shift-2)

Explanation

Remittent fever is defined by temperature fluctuations that exceed 2°C (3.6°F) within a 24-hour period.
A key characteristic of remittent fever is that the temperature never returns to the normal baseline; it remains elevated throughout.
This pattern is distinct from other fever types and is often associated with specific infectious diseases like infective endocarditis or typhoid fever.

Option A: In intermittent fever, the temperature returns to normal at least once within a 24-hour period. The question specifies the temperature remains 'all above normal'.
Option C: Recurrent fever involves episodes of fever separated by days or weeks of normal temperature. The question describes fluctuations within a single 24-hour period.
Option D: Relapsing fever is characterized by febrile periods separated by intervals of normal temperature lasting one or more days. The question describes continuous elevation with daily fluctuations.

Visual 1: Visual 1: Graph - Fever Pattern Comparison. A line graph plotting temperature over several days for each of the four main fever types (Sustained, Remittent, Intermittent, Relapsing). This visual would clearly illustrate the defining characteristic of each pattern, making them easy to differentiate and remember.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of fever patterns based on temperature fluctuation as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nursing Practice: Accurately identifying and documenting a patient's fever pattern is a critical nursing responsibility. It provides diagnostic clues to the healthcare team, helping to narrow down potential causes and guide further investigations and treatment.
Patient Safety: Recognizing a specific pattern, like a remittent fever, can prompt nurses to look for signs of serious underlying infections such as infective endocarditis, leading to earlier diagnosis and intervention.
What if?: If the temperature fluctuated more than 2°C but did return to normal each day, the answer would change to Intermittent fever. This highlights the importance of noting whether the temperature normalizes, as it's a key differentiator between remittent and intermittent patterns.

How to Approach the Question

Step 1: Identify Keywords. The key phrases in the question are 'fluctuates more than 2°C', 'all above normal', and 'during a 24 hour period'.
Step 2: Analyze the Keywords. This tells you to look for a fever type with large daily swings that never resolves to a normal temperature.
Step 3: Recall Definitions. Access your knowledge of fever pattern definitions.
Step 4: Match Keywords to Definitions.
'Intermittent' means it returns to normal, so this is incorrect.
'Relapsing/Recurrent' means there are days-long breaks, so this is incorrect.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Classification of fever patterns based on temperature fluctuation.
Stem keywords: fever, temperature, fluctuates, 2°C, above normal, 24 hour period
Lead-in keywords: type of fever
Negative lead-in flag: false

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