Remittent fever is best described as fever that:

• A. Fluctuates above baseline and does not return to baseline
• B. Remains constant at elevated baseline
• C. Alternates between high and low but returns to baseline each day
• D. Slowly decreases to normal without fluctuations

Answer: (A)

Fever patterns describe how temperature changes over time. Remittent fever means the temperature stays above normal and fluctuates up and down within that elevated range, but it never returns to baseline between these fluctuations. This distinguishes it from patterns that briefly return to normal (intermittent), stay continuously high with little fluctuation (continuous), or have fever-free intervals followed by new febrile episodes (relapsing). So, describing the fever as fluctuating above baseline and not returning to baseline best matches remittent fever.