Table 1.
General characteristics of the selected case-series
| Ref | First Author | Year | Quality assessment (range 0–5) | Country | Geographical area | Country income classification | Model of study a | FUO criteria b | Study period | Number of patients | M/F ratio | Mean age (range) | Minimal diagnostic work-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [11] | Yu | 2014 | 3 | China | Far East | Upper- medium | 1 | 1 | 2010–2011 | 107 | 54/53 | 48 (15–94) | No |
| [12] | Mir | 2014 | 5 | India | Southern Asia | Lower- medium | 2 | 1 | 2010–2012 | 91 | 62/29 | NA (16–80) | No |
| [13] | Naito | 2013 | 4 | Japan | Far East | High | 1 | 1 | 2011 | 121 | 69/52 | 59 (19–94) | No |
| [14] | Robine | 2014 | 5 | France | Europe | High | 1 | 1 | 2002–2012 | 103 | 54/49 | 57 (19–84) | Yes |
| [15] | Vanderschueren | 2014 | 5 | Belgium | Europe | High | 1 | 3 | 2000–2010 | 436 | NA | 50 (NA) | Yes |
| [16] | Alavi | 2013 | 3 | Iran | Middle East | Upper -medium | 1 | 3 | 2007–2011 | 106 | 57/49 | 50 (18–76) | NA |
| [17] | Mahmood | 2013 | 3 | Pakistan | Southern Asia | Lower- medium | 1 | 1 | 2006–2011 | 205 | 111/94 | 38 (NA) | No |
| [18] | Shi | 2013 | 5 | China | Far East | Upper -medium | 1 | 2 | 2004–2010 | 997 | 466/531 | 43 (14–85) | No |
| [19] | Mete | 2012 | 3 | Turkey | Middle East | Upper -medium | 1 | 1 | 2001–2009 | 100 | 53/47 | 45 (16–82) | Yesc |
| [20] | Pedersen | 2012 | 4 | Denmark | Europe | High | 1 | 1 | 2005–2010 | 52 | 36/16 | 48 (34–64) | No |
| [21] | Ali-Eldin | 2011 | 3 | Egypt | Middle East | Lower- medium | 2 | 3 | 2009–2010 | 93 | 45/48 | 34 (NA) | No |
| [22] | Bandyopadhyay | 2011 | 4 | India | Southern Asia | Lower- medium | 2 | 1 | 2008–2009 | 164 | 82/82 | 42 (NA) | No |
| [23] | Adil Khalil | 2010 | 4 | Iraq | Middle East | Upper -medium | 2 | 1 | 2002–2009 | 55 | 27/28 | 43 (10–76) | No |
| [24] | Hu | 2008 | 3 | China | Far East | Upper -medium | NA | 2 | 2002–2003 | 142 | 69/73 | 49 (14–81) | Yesc |
| [25] | Kucukardali | 2007 | 4 | Turkey | Middle East | Upper -medium | 2 | 1 | 2003–2004 | 154 | 83/71 | 42 (17–75) | No |
| [3] | Bleeker-Rovers | 2007 | 5 | Netherland | Europe | High | 2 | 3 | 2003–2005 | 73 | 33/40 | 54 (26–87) | Yes |
| [26] | Colpan | 2007 | 4 | Turkey | Middle East | Upper -medium | NA | 3 | 2001–2004 | 71 | 40/31 | 42 (16–80) | No |
| [27] | Chin | 2006 | 5 | Taiwan | Far East | High | 2 | 1 | 2001–2002 | 94 | 57/37 | 56 (18–86) | Yes |
a Model of Study: 1, Retrospective; 2, Prospective; b FUO criteria: 1, Durak and Street; 2, Petersdorf and Beeson; 3, personal criteria; c Diagnostic work-up performed, but not detailed; NA Not Available