Interpretation of Selected Findings in Involuntary Weight Loss
Finding | Some Causes to Consider |
|---|---|
Fatigue | Adrenal insufficiency, cancer, chronic kidney disease, depression, infections, giant cell arteritis, nephrotic syndrome, sarcoidosis |
Fever, night sweats | Cancer, infections, giant cell arteritis |
Lymphadenopathy | Infections, cancer, sarcoidosis |
Rectal bleeding, abdominal pain | Colorectal cancer |
Cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis | Lung cancer, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, fungal pneumonias, HIV/late stage HIV |
Hematuria | Renal, bladder, or prostate cancer |
Heat intolerance, tremor, anxiety, sweating | Hyperthyroidism |
Polydipsia, polyuria | Diabetes mellitus or arginine vasopressin deficiency (previously central diabetes insipidus)Diabetes mellitus or arginine vasopressin deficiency (previously central diabetes insipidus) |
Bone pain (eg, unrelated to activity, prominent at night) | Cancer (eg, multiple myeloma, bone metastases from breast, prostate, or lung cancer) |
Headache or visual symptoms and muscle pains in an older adult | Giant cell arteritis |
Arthralgias | Endocarditis, giant cell arteritis, chronic hepatitis |
Abdominal pain, fatigue, orthostatic lightheadedness | Adrenal insufficiency |
Abdominal pain | Adrenal insufficiency, diabetes, helminthic infections, gastrointestinal tract cancers |
Ascites | Alcohol use disorder, nephrotic syndrome, cancer (eg, ovarian, gastrointestinal) |
Edema | Chronic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome |
Fever | Cancer, infections, inflammatory disorders |
Sleep disturbance, loss of libido, sadness | Depression |