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/AIDS

Hematuria

Renal or prostate cancer

Heat intolerance, tremor, anxiety, sweating

Hyperthyroidism

Polydipsia, polyuria

Diabetes

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 light-headedness

Adrenal insufficiency

Abdominal pain

Adrenal insufficiency, diabetes, helminthic infections, gastrointestinal tract cancers

Ascites

Alcoholism, nephrotic syndrome, cancer (eg, ovarian, gastrointestinal)

Edema

Chronic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome

Fever

Cancer, infections, inflammatory disorders

Sleep disturbance, loss of libido, sadness

Depression