CASE-CONTROL STUDY OF HYPERPYREXIA IN CHILDREN

To test the association of hyperpyrexia (temperature ≥41.1°C) with increased rates of bacteremia and serious bacterial illness in young children, we performed a retrospective case-control study. Seventy’six hyperpyrexic children and an equal number of control cases with temperatures of 39.1–40° and 40.1–41.0° were identified. A significantly larger number of diagnostic procedures including blood cultures, urine cultures, chest x'rays and white-blood cell counts were performed in the hyperpyrexic children (P < 0.05). The frequency of serious bacterial infections and bacteremia did not differ among the groups (P > 0.05). Hyperpyrexic children need to be evaluated as thoroughly and carefully as any other febrile child but do not merit special consideration. © 1990 by Williams & Wilkins.