Body temperature changes during inflammation: their mediation and nutritional significance

Fever definedAlthough fever has often been defined as any elevation in body temperature, this definition would result in considerable confusion between true fever and hyperthermia.In fever, as a result of the elevated thermoregulatory 'set-point', a person's heat production increases, while at the same time heat loss decreases.Snell & Atkins (1968) defined four categories of body temperature based on the set-point theory of temperature regulation:(a) Normothermia, where set-point and actual body temperature coincide.This condition occurs during most of the time.(b) Hypothermia, where set-point may or may not be normal, but actual body temperature is below this set-point.Hypothennia can occur as a response to a drug, disease or exposure to the cold.(c) Hyperthermia, where set-point may or may not be normal, but actual body temperature is higher than this set-point.Hyperthermia can occur as a response to a drug, disease or exposure to a warm environment.(d) Fever, where set-point is raised and deep body temperature may or may not be raised to the same level.