The circadian rhythm of body temperature is preserved during malarial fever
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, Volume 112, No. 23, Year 2000
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Body temperature follows a circadian rhythm with a low around 6 a.m. and a peak about 12 hours later. The effect of fever on this endogenous oscillation is unknown. We obtained hourly measurements of the rectal temperature of 66 children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Even at febrile temperatures, the temperature followed a clear circadian rhythm. 33 patients (50%) had fever above 38 °C at 6 p.m. on the first day compared to only 9 (14%) at 6 a.m. the next morning. This considerable difference was also found on the second day of observation. Since in clinical practice antipyretics are often given above a certain fever threshold, the time of day should be taken into account when antipyretics are applied.