Causes and Consequences of Fever Complicating Critical Surgical Illness

Background: Fever may have malign consequences in the postoperative period. This study was performed to determine the causes and consequences of fever in critically ill surgical patients. The specific hypothesis tested is that postoperative fever is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, including increased organ dysfunction and risk of death. Methods: Inception-cohort study of critically ill surgical patients who manifested a core temperature of ≥38.2°C for the first time. The episode of fever was monitored until resolution, which was defined as a core temperature of