Clinical Trial: Quantifying and Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Fever

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Beyond Intuition: Quantifying and Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Fever

Brief Summary:

Background:

- Fever is a common symptom of illness, but it can involve many signs (a signal that something is not right in the body that can be seen by others, such as vomiting) and symptoms (a signal that something is not right in the body that are felt only by the person, such as pain) that may differ depending on the type of illness involved. Researchers are interested in studying individuals who have a fever to examine how often these signs and symptoms are experienced by patients.

Objectives:

- To identify and evaluate the signs and symptoms of fever and examine their frequency in individuals who have fever.

Eligibility:

- Individuals at least 8 years of age who are admitted to the NIH Clinical Center and have a fever (body temperature of at least 38 degrees Celsius/100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

Design:

  • Participants will be screened upon admission to the NIH Clinical Center.
  • Researchers will review the Clinical Center admission records.
  • Participants will complete a 15- to 20-minute survey with questions about how they are feeling and what symptoms they have experienced before, during and after an episode of fever.

Detailed Summary:

Background:

Fever is one of the most prevalent signs in hospitalized patients, signaling the activation of the immune system.

There is little empiric evidence related to symptoms or signs that accompany changes in body temperature.

Understanding the nature, timing and relationship of patient signs and symptoms of fever will provide insight into the febrile process and guide more informed treatment.

Objectives:

The protocol is divided into two phases:

Phase I

-To develop and implement a simple clinical tool for assessing and documenting patient-reported signs and symptoms of fever.

Phase II

-To describe the prevalence and relationship of signs and symptoms that accompanies a febrile state and related patterns of change over time.

Eligibility:

Phase I

  • Adult and pediatric medical-surgical patients hospitalized at the Clinical Center admitted to 3NE (oncology/ transplant), 3NW (surgical oncology) and 1NW (pediatric).
  • Age greater than or equal to 8 years old
  • Understand and speak English

Phase II

  • Inpatients admitted to the Clinical Research Center
  • Age greater than or
    Sponsor: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

    Current Primary Outcome: Symptoms of fever [ Time Frame: Throughout in patient admission ]

    Original Primary Outcome:

    Current Secondary Outcome:

    Original Secondary Outcome:

    Information By: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

    Dates:
    Date Received: January 29, 2011
    Date Started: January 13, 2011
    Date Completion:
    Last Updated: April 21, 2017
    Last Verified: April 13, 2017