Clinical presentation | Disease |
---|
History |
Abdominal pain | Peptic ulcer, infection, tumour, coeliac disease, lactose intolerance |
Vomiting | Peptic ulcer, obstruction |
Dysphagia | Oesophageal tumour or ulceration, ulceration of the oral mucosa |
Diarrhoea | Inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease |
Constipation | Anorexia, tumour |
Faecal colour | Black: melena; light (and floating); malabsorption |
Smoking | Lung cancer, peptic ulcer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
Alcohol consumption | Liver cirrhosis |
Fear of gaining weight, desire to be underweight, distorted body image | Anorexia nervosa |
Weight loss despite increased appetite | Hyperthyroidism, recent-onset diabetes, malabsorption, significant increase in physical exercise |
Use of psychotropic drugs, death of a close relative, other personal loss, stress, psychosocial situation, financial problems, poor appetite | Depression |
Forgetfulness | Memory disturbances |
Cough, breathlessness | Tumour, infections, cardiac insufficiency, sarcoidosis |
Fever, sweating, fatigue | Infections, hyperthyroidism |
Menstruation | If normal, significant weight loss is rare |
Bone pain | Metastases, myeloma |
Haematuria | Tumour of the urinary tract |
Clinical signs |
Skin temperature and colour | |
| Hyperthyroidism |
| Addison's disease |
| Pancreatic cancer, liver diseases |
| Thrombocytopenia, cirrhosis, cancer |
| Anorexia |
Dentures, edentulism | Undernourishment |
Palpation of the abdomen | Conditions causing hepatomegaly or abdominal masses |
Palpation of lymph nodes | Lymphoma |
Digital rectal examination, type of stool | Rectal tumour |
Gynaecological examination | Tumours |