American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Practice Exam

What is a key feature of clinical stability in patients regarding their temperature?

1. Temperature of 37.5 °C (99.5 °F) or less

2. Temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) or less

3. Temperature of 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) or less

4. Temperature of 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) or less

The correct answer is: Temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) or less

A key feature of clinical stability in patients regarding their temperature is a temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) or less. This threshold is clinically significant as it suggests that the patient is not experiencing a febrile response that could indicate an active infection or systemic inflammation—conditions that might require further medical intervention. Maintaining a temperature at or below this level suggests a stable clinical state where the patient is less likely to have acute exacerbations or complications that can arise in scenarios of uncontrolled fever. In many clinical guidelines, a temperature above this threshold would warrant additional assessment and possibly therapeutic measures, highlighting the importance of this cutoff. Contextually, other temperature ranges may indicate different levels of concern: for instance, 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) or greater can represent a low-grade fever, which may lead clinicians to become more vigilant about potential underlying issues. Therefore, a temperature at or below 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) is vital for ensuring that a patient is clinically stable and not showing signs of deterioration.