Can intravenous fat emulsion cause fever?
May 16, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Shuwen
Introduction
Infusion of fat emulsion provides calories and essential fatty acids. After receiving the infusion, patients may experience fever, as the fatty acids require oxidative breakdown, which generates metabolic heat and leads to increased body temperature. This can result in symptoms such as fever, headache, chest tightness, and nausea. If patients experience discomfort such as fever during treatment, they should seek medical attention promptly.
Fever refers to an elevated body temperature. Fat emulsion infusion provides calories and essential fatty acids, among other nutrients. Patients may experience fever after receiving fat emulsion, with specific causes as follows:
During fat emulsion infusion, the fatty acids must undergo oxidative breakdown, a process that generates metabolic heat, leading to increased body temperature and symptoms such as fever, headache, chest tightness, and nausea. However, this type of fever is usually mild, short-lived, and does not lead to serious complications. If improper techniques or inadequate sterilization occur during the infusion, bacterial contamination may result in infection-related fever, accompanied by additional symptoms such as chills, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Fat emulsion may also interact with other medications, affecting its metabolism and excretion, causing excessive accumulation of fatty acids in the body and resulting in adverse reactions including fever.
Patients who experience discomfort such as fever during treatment should promptly inform their doctor so that the treatment plan can be adjusted and potential complications managed appropriately.
