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This study attempts to validate the use of the Geriatric Fever Score to predict 30 day mortality in patients over age 65 presenting to an emergency department with fever.
The Geriatric Fever Score uses: leukocytosis, severe coma, and thrombocytopenia. One point is award for each abnormality.
Not surprisingly, mortality went up with the higher the score (33%, 42% and 57% for 0,1,2 points)
For me, I’m not discharging anyone with severe coma, leukocytosis or thrombocytopenia in this patient population therefore I’m not sure this scale has much utility for the practicing emergency physician.
References
Akbari, H., Mirfazaelian, H., Safaei, A. _et al._Predicting mortality in geriatric patients with fever in the emergency departments: a prospective validation study. BMC Geriatr 24, 758 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05346-x