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. 2018;7(2):467.
doi: 10.4172/2167-7182.1000467. Epub 2018 Apr 9.

Frequency of Infection during Fever Episodes among Long-Term Care Residents

Rupak Datta  1 , Sonali Advani  1 , Andrea Rink  1 , Luann Bianco  1 , Peter H Van Ness  2 , Vincent Quagliarello  1 , Manisha Juthani-Mehta  1
Affiliations

Frequency of Infection during Fever Episodes among Long-Term Care Residents

Rupak Datta et al. J Gerontol Geriatr Res. 2018.

Abstract

Background: Empirical data regarding the frequency of infection during fever episodes among women in long-term care facilities are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a case-series analysis of women long-term care residents enrolled in a randomized trial evaluating cranberry capsules to reduce bacteriuria plus pyuria across twenty-one long-term care facilities in CT, USA. Fever episodes identified during adverse event surveillance were assessed using established guidelines for older adults. Among fever episodes, infections were classified using standardized infection surveillance definitions in long-term care residents.

Results: We identified 123 fever episodes among 80 women long-term care residents. Median age was 88 years (range, 65-101), and 81% (N=65) had dementia. Among 123 fever episodes, 79 (64%) met criteria for 86 total infections (lower respiratory tract, N=43; pneumonia, N=27; gastroenteritis, N=9; urinary tract, N=7).

Conclusion: Data from this study suggest that approximately two-thirds of fever episodes involve infection among women in long-term care facilities. These data may guide provider assessments of fever in older adult women in long-term care facilities.

Keywords: Care; Fever; Infection; Long-term; Residents.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors report no conflicts of interest related to this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Baseline (A) and febrile (B) temperature distribution among 123 fever episodes. Fever episodes were identified from 80 women long-term care residents enrolled in a randomized trial. Baseline temperature was defined as the last routine temperature documented prior to the adverse event. All residents have both baseline and febrile temperatures depicted in the Figure 1. Each dot may represent more than one resident.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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