Rigor
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Synonyms and keywords: Shaking chills
Overview
Rigor is a shaking occurring during a high fever. It occurs because cytokines and prostaglandins are released as part of an immune response and increase the set point for body temperature in the hypothalamus.
The increased set point causes the body temperature to rise (pyrexia), but also makes the patient feel cold until the new set point is reached. Rigor occurs because the patient is effectively shivering in a physiological attempt to increase body temperature to the new set point.
Causes
Common Causes
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | Agalsidase beta, Denileukin diftitox, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Imiglucerase, Ixabepilone, Meropenem, Panitumumab, Pergolide, Pramipexole, Ramucirumab, Sargramostim, Sipuleucel-T, Teniposide, Tiagabine, Voriconazole, Zanamivir |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | No underlying causes |
| Musculoskeletal / Ortho | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | No underlying causes |
| Nutritional / Metabolic | No underlying causes |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Opthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose / Toxicity | No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal / Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheum / Immune / Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Dental | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
- Ixabepilone
- Panitumumab
- Pergolide
- Ramucirumab
- Sargramostim
- Sipuleucel-T
- Teniposide
- Tiagabine
- Voriconazole
Related Chapters
References
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