文本框: CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF 317 CHILDREN WITH FEVER OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN Wang Y-C, Cao L-Z, Ying X-C Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, China Objective: To investigate the etiology and diagnostic methods of fever of unknown origin (FUO) in children. Method: We admitted 317 patients with FUO between January, 1996 and December, 2000. All children were divided into three groups, group 1: younger than 3 years; group 2: between 3 and 7 years; group 3: older than 7 years. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Of the 317children 298 cases (94.0%) were diagnosed definitely. Of the298 cases, 160 (53.7%) had infectious diseases, the others (46.3%) had non-infectious diseases and the ratio was 1.15:1. Of all the cases, 140 (47.0%) were diagnosed finally by clinical comprehensive analysis; 64 cases (21.5%) and 37 cases (12.4%) of the 185 by cultivation of bacteria in serum and biopsy, respectively; 35 cases (11.7%), 11 cases (3.7%), 6 cases (1.9%) and 5 cases (1.7%) by non-invasive imaging techniques, autopsy, bone marrow examination and retrospective diagnosis, respectively. Conclusions: Most cases of FUO can be diagnosed by clinical characters of the patients and essential laboratory studies. Pathological examination is very important in diagnosing the etiology of FUO. Few patients depend on autopsy to get a final diagnosis. Infectious disease, collagen vascular disease and neoplasm are the major causes of FUO in children. 0950