Two more instances where taking a temperature contributes:
1) Warm acutely swollen joint. A sytemic fever is an indication to admit -
?sepsis.
2) Creps in the chest - if there is any difficulty differentiating failure
from infection a fever would favour the latter - not conclusive and might
treat both possibilities anyway.
Additionally I suggest to patients who are experiencing sweating bouts that
they purchase a thermometer to take their temperature during attacks - I
usually check their temperature in surgery to get a baseline as well. Clearly
bouts of fever are significantly different from sweats without fever and I
would probably admit them for blood cultures etc..
Robert Upshall
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