Since the body temperature of a he althy person is a constant value, with slight fluctuations of tenths of a degree, its increase on a larger scale always indicates the presence of inflammatory processes in the body, including those of an infectious nature. The level of warmth of the human body in dynamics is called the temperature curve, which is often identified with fever (a temporary increase in temperature).
Graphic plotting of the patient's temperature curve plays an important role in diagnosis and prognosis, and is also necessary for an objective assessment of the course of the disease. Body temperature is measured at least twice a day: in the morning and evening hours, and at the height of an infectious disease - several times a day.
What are the types of temperature curves?
They are distinguished depending on the degree of increase. There are the following typestemperature curves: subfebrile - not exceeding 38 ° C, medium or moderate - 39 ° C, pyretic - up to 41 ° C, super pyretic - over 41 ° C (extremely rare).
Types of temperature curves in infectious diseases determine the classification of fever depending on the degree of daily temperature fluctuations. We list these types of fever (types of temperature curves): constant, laxative, intermittent, exhausting, recurrent, undulating and inverse.
Characteristic of persistent fever
Observed in infectious diseases such as typhoid and typhus, pneumococcal pneumonia. Graphically, constant fever is displayed as trapezoidal types of temperature curves, a characteristic feature of which is the fluctuation of body temperature by no more than 1 °, while the body temperature remains at a high level for a long time - around 39 °. As the disease recedes, the temperature curve can decrease both sharply and gradually.
Characteristic of relapsing fever
Relaxing types of temperature curves are observed in purulent diseases, catarrhal pneumonia, typhoid fever, and also in tuberculosis. The body temperature is also kept at a high level, however, unlike a constant fever, in this case, the amplitude of fluctuations in morning and evening temperatures reaches 2 degrees, thus dropping to 38 ° C, but not returning to normal values.
Intermittent Fever
Intermittent or laxative fever most often expresses a type of malaria temperature curve. It is accompanied by sharp increases in body temperature (febrile condition), which are replaced by afebrile periods, that is, with normal temperature indicators. The time intervals between attacks of febrile condition can last from one to 3 days, while the patient feels chills when the temperature rises, and when it decreases, pronounced sweating is observed.
A debilitating fever cannot unconditionally indicate the presence of malaria in a patient, this type of febrile condition is actually inherent in many infectious diseases, such as relapsing fever, focal purulent infections, sodoku (an infection transmitted to humans from a rat bite), liver diseases and others.
Debilitating Fever
Debilitating type of fever is accompanied by large fluctuations between morning and evening temperature values, the amplitude of fluctuations reaches 3-5 °C. The period of febrile condition can last several days, after which the temperature regime normalizes due to the weakening of the disease. Exhausting fever - a sure sign of septic, purulent infections, also occurs in tuberculosis.
Return Fever
The characteristic of this type of fever lies in its name. This means that the period of pyrexia (elevated body temperature) with a durationin a few days returns again after a predetermined period of aporexia. Thus, the patient has a clear fever for several days with slight amplitude fluctuations in morning and daytime temperatures, then there is a lull for several days, the body temperature returns to normal, but then the picture repeats up to 4-5 times. Such a temperature curve is typical for infectious diseases caused by spirochete bacteria, an example of this kind of disease is relapsing fever.
Wave Fever
The wavelike temperature curve is a kind of relapsing fever, as it also has periods of alternating febrile condition with remission. However, the undulating curve is characterized by smoother transitions, showing a gradual increase in temperature over several days, and then it also gradually decreases over several days. This fever is accompanied by brucellosis.
Inverse Fever
Inverse, or perverse, fever differs from other types of temperature curves in that the temperature apogee does not occur in the evening, but, on the contrary, in the morning. Such a course of febrile condition is typical for prolonged sepsis and advanced forms of tuberculosis, as well as viral diseases.
Wrong fever
Irregular fever does not have a clear schematic manifestation. It includes all the main types at once.temperature curves. The amplitude of fluctuations in temperature values can be varied, with different periodicities. Nevertheless, the atypical form of the temperature curve is the most common, accompanying not only infectious diseases, but also various stages of rheumatism, influenza, dysentery, pneumonia, etc.
Regardless of what types of temperature curves during fever the patient has, fever goes through three main stages:
- Temperature rising stage. Under the influence of pyrogens (in the case of infectious diseases, this is an external factor, namely various pathogenic bacteria and viruses), the so-called “setting point” in neurons shifts. Thus, the body's heat transfer regime is disrupted, and the current temperature is considered below the desired one, as a result of which the body actively raises its temperature.
- Temperature maximum (apogee). The body temperature continues to increase to the level to which the “set point” has shifted, at which point the temperature maximum is reached, an equilibrium is established between heat production and heat loss.
- Remission occurs when the action of pyrogens weakens, and the body temperature increased at that time is perceived by the body as excessive. The process of increased heat transfer begins and the setpoint returns to its previous level.
