Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports
Background: Fever is a common postoperative complication, typically caused by aseptic inflammation or infection. However, drug-induced fever (DIF) is an underdiagnosed etiology that should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in patients receiving complex medication regimens post-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20420986251335825 |
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| author | Fatemeh Afra Mona Aboutalebzadeh Soheila Tayefeh Sepide Javankiani Bita Shahrami Amir Ahmad Arabzadeh |
| author_facet | Fatemeh Afra Mona Aboutalebzadeh Soheila Tayefeh Sepide Javankiani Bita Shahrami Amir Ahmad Arabzadeh |
| author_sort | Fatemeh Afra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Fever is a common postoperative complication, typically caused by aseptic inflammation or infection. However, drug-induced fever (DIF) is an underdiagnosed etiology that should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in patients receiving complex medication regimens post-surgery. Objectives: This systematic review aims to assess the current literature on DIF in post-surgical patients to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient care. Design: Systematic review of case reports and case series. Data sources and methods: This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We included case reports and series involving post-surgical patients with fever linked to drug administration. Studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases, as well as gray literature sources. Quality and bias were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Results: A total of 16 studies (14 case reports and 2 case series) involving 23 patients were included. The most frequently implicated drugs were propofol, morphine, and cephalosporins. Fever onset ranged from immediate postoperative to several days later, with varied patterns, including intermittent, remittent, and continuous fever. The majority of patients recovered after drug discontinuation, although two cases resulted in death. Conclusion: DIF is one of the causes of postoperative fever. Early identification and cessation of the offending drug are crucial for resolving the fever and preventing severe complications. Clinicians must remain vigilant in diagnosing DIF to improve patient outcomes post-surgery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-55a54ecee92e41e08f654ab84a2e3690 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2042-0994 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-55a54ecee92e41e08f654ab84a2e36902025-08-20T02:28:50ZengSAGE PublishingTherapeutic Advances in Drug Safety2042-09942025-05-011610.1177/20420986251335825Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reportsFatemeh AfraMona AboutalebzadehSoheila TayefehSepide JavankianiBita ShahramiAmir Ahmad ArabzadehBackground: Fever is a common postoperative complication, typically caused by aseptic inflammation or infection. However, drug-induced fever (DIF) is an underdiagnosed etiology that should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in patients receiving complex medication regimens post-surgery. Objectives: This systematic review aims to assess the current literature on DIF in post-surgical patients to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient care. Design: Systematic review of case reports and case series. Data sources and methods: This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We included case reports and series involving post-surgical patients with fever linked to drug administration. Studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases, as well as gray literature sources. Quality and bias were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Results: A total of 16 studies (14 case reports and 2 case series) involving 23 patients were included. The most frequently implicated drugs were propofol, morphine, and cephalosporins. Fever onset ranged from immediate postoperative to several days later, with varied patterns, including intermittent, remittent, and continuous fever. The majority of patients recovered after drug discontinuation, although two cases resulted in death. Conclusion: DIF is one of the causes of postoperative fever. Early identification and cessation of the offending drug are crucial for resolving the fever and preventing severe complications. Clinicians must remain vigilant in diagnosing DIF to improve patient outcomes post-surgery.https://doi.org/10.1177/20420986251335825 |
| spellingShingle | Fatemeh Afra Mona Aboutalebzadeh Soheila Tayefeh Sepide Javankiani Bita Shahrami Amir Ahmad Arabzadeh Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety |
| title | Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports |
| title_full | Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports |
| title_fullStr | Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports |
| title_full_unstemmed | Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports |
| title_short | Drug-induced fever in post-surgical patients: a systematic review of case reports |
| title_sort | drug induced fever in post surgical patients a systematic review of case reports |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20420986251335825 |
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