UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Infections That Cause Temperature-Pulse Dissociation

Keywords: Infections, Temperature (PubMed Search)

Posted: 12/29/2008 by Rob Rogers, MD (Updated: 12/26/2024)
Click here to contact Rob Rogers, MD

This pearl is dedicated to Dr. Michael Rolnick....

Infections That Cause Temperature-PulseDissociation

Certain infections may cause temperature-pulse dissociation (relative bradycardia in association with fever).

Remember that normally there will be an increase in pulse rate by 10 bpm for every 1 degree increase in temperature. So, if a patient has a temperature of 103 F, expect them to be tachycardic.

Any intracellular organism has the potential to cause a relative bradycardia (Faget's sign)

Infections that cause dissociation:

Salmonella typhi
C burnetii (agent of Q fever)
Chlamydia infections
Dengue fever