This is a borderline case as it contains only some of the
essential elements of fever. These include increased temperature,
defended set point, and utilization of heat production
and conservation techniques (Holtzclaw 1992, Mackowiak
1997, Henker 1999). This example lacks the required
element of an antecedent, which is a pathological process –
a threat to the immune system (see Figure 1) (Saper & Breder
1994). In this example, there is injury to the hypothalamus
itself, causing a change in the set point without requiring the
presence of endogenous or exogenous pyrogens that would
induce an acute-phase response (Thompson et al. 2003,
Dinarello & Gelfand 2004). Thus, this is a borderline case
and the diagnosis would be better termed post-traumatic
hyperthermia.