Writing assignment:

A start-up biotechnology company has come out with a novel long-acting fever reducing drug. Instead of lasting 4 hours like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin), the new drug Qoolaid lasts much longer. A single dose of Qoolaid reduces body temperature and prevents fever for 2 weeks. The company executives are excited to report that because Qoolaid also has a rapid onset of action, reducing body temperature after only 90 seconds, it will provide comfort to patients with a wide range of infections. Wall Street is anticipating that the public stock offering of this “blockbuster” drug will bring in millions of dollars. Should you invest in Qoolaid? Why or why not?

Readings:

1) Young and Saxena’s review in the journal Critical Care on fever and its treatment.

They write:

“Remarkably, at present we do not know what effect treating fever in critically ill patients with infections has on patient-centered outcomes.” In other words, legitimate controversy exists about whether to give a patient tylenol or not.

2) Drewry and Hotchkiss  argue for giving antipyretic treatment for patients with sepsis (blood infection).Point- Should Antipyretic Therapy Be Given Routinely to Febrile Patients in Septic Shock? Yes

3) Moer and Doerschug argue against using antipyretics in sepsis.Counterpoint- Should Antipyretic Therapy Be Given Routinely to Febrile Patients in Septic Shock? No

4) Matthew Kluger’s review on fever can be found here: The Adaptive Value of Fever

5) LeGrand, Edmund Kenwood, and Joe Alcock.( 2002) “Turning up the heat: immune brinksmanship in the acute-phase response.” QRB 87.1: 3-18.

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Joe Alcock

Emergency Physician, Educator, Researcher, interested in the microbiome, evolution, and medicine