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Table 1 Characteristics of adults with acute febrile illness presenting at the Singapore polyclinics between December 2007 and February 2013

From: Characteristics of acute febrile illness and determinants of illness recovery among adults presenting to Singapore primary care clinics

Characteristics (N = 2046)

n (%)

Median illness duration in days (IQR)

P value *

Age groups (years)

 17–24

540 (26.4)

5 (3–7)

0.0002

 25–34

567 (27.7)

5 (3–7)

 

 35–44

333 (16.3)

5 (4–7)

 

 45–54

295 (14.4)

5 (3–7)

 

 55–64

210 (10.3)

5.5 (4–7)

 

 65 and above

101 (4.9)

6 (4–8)

 

Gender

 Female

725 (35.4)

5 (4–7)

0.0001

 Male

1321 (64.6)

5 (3–7)

 

Ethnicity

 Chinese

1083 (51.0)

5 (4–7)

0.0011

 Indian

360 (16.9)

5 (3–7)

 

 Malay

377 (17.7)

5 (3–7)

 

 Other

303 (14.3)

5 (4–7)

 

 Missing value

1 (0.0)

  

Body mass index

  < 18.5

178 (8.7)

5 (3–7)

0.6460

 18.5–22.9

885 (43.3)

5 (3–7)

 

 23 – 27.4

682 (33.3)

5 (3–7)

 

  ≥ 27.5

301 (14.7)

5 (4–7)

 

Migration status

 Singaporean

1286 (62.9)

5 (4–7)

0.0002

 Immigrant

100 (4.9)

5 (3–7)

 

 Missing value

3 (0.1)

  

Type of employment

 Blue-collar

1086 (53.1)

5 (3–7)

0.0001

 White-collar

457 (22.3)

5 (3–7)

 

 Other

54 (2.6)

6.5 (4–10)

 

 Unemployed

447 (21.8)

5 (4–7)

 

 Missing value

2 (0.1)

  

Housing type

 Condominium

81 (3.8)

5 (4–7)

0.0001

 Dormitory/Hostel

231 (10.9)

4 (3–6)

 

 HDB Flat

1588 (74.8)

5 (3–7)

 

 Landed Property

135 (6.4)

5 (4–7)

 

 Work site

87 (4.1)

5 (4–7)

 

 Missing value

2 (0.1)

  

Hospitalization as a result of AFI

 No

1986 (97.1)

5 (3–7)

0.0001

 Yes

60 (2.9)

10 (7–13)

 

Diabetes

 No

1952 (95.4)

5 (3–7)

0.0301

 Yes

94 (4.6)

6 (4–8)

 

Temperature at initial consultation (°C)

  < 38

660 (32.3)

4 (3–7)

0.0002

 38–38.9

999 (48.9)

5 (4–7)

 

  ≥ 39

384 (18.8)

5 (4–7)

 

 Missing value

3 (0.2)

  

WBC count at initial consultation (103 cells/μL)

 

  < 4 (Low)

213 (10.4)

7 (4–10)

 

 4–11 (Normal)

1475 (72.1)

5 (3–7)

0.0001

  > 11 (High)

345 (16.9)

4 (3–7)

 

 Missing value

13 (0.6)

  

Number of symptoms at initial consultation (excluding fever)

 0–2

290 (14.2)

4 (3–6)

0.0001

 3–4

515 (25.2)

5 (3–7)

 

 5–7

753 (36.8)

5 (4–7)

 

 8 and more

488 (23.9)

6 (4–7)

 

Severity of anemia at initial consultationa

 No anemia

1821 (89.0)

5 (3–7)

0.2473

 Mild

133 (6.5)

5 (4–7)

 

 Moderate

54 (2.6)

5 (4–7)

 

 Severe

12 (0.6)

6 (4.5–10)

 

 Missing value

26 (1.3)

  

Influenza-like illnessb

 No

1371 (67.0)

5 (3–7)

0.0001

 Yes

672 (32.8)

5 (4–7)

 

 Missing value

3 (0.1)

  

Analgesic use

 No

1060 (51.8)

4 (3–7)

0.0001

 Yes

753 (36.8)

6 (4–7)

 

 Missing value

233 (11.4)

  

Cough medicine use

 No

1213 (59.3)

4 (3–7)

0.0001

 Yes

600 (29.3)

6 (4–7)

 

Missing value

233 (11.4)

  

Antibiotic use

 No

1510 (73.8)

5 (3–7)

0.0001

 Yes

303 (14.8)

6 (4–8)

 

 Missing value

233 (11.4)

  
  1. AFI Acute febrile illness, HDB Housing Development Board, IQR Inter-quartile range
  2. a No anaemia (male, ≥ 13; female, ≥ 12); Mild anaemia (male, 11–12.9; female, 11–11.9); Moderate anaemia (8–10.9); Severe anaemia (<8) in Hb (g/dl) [26]
  3. bILI: combination of symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat
  4. * Kruskal-Wallis rank test p value