Written by Leya Bedar
Osteoarthritis (pain, gradual onset, worse with use, improves with rest, stiffness, age, history of heavy use of joint)
Differential diagnosis:
Crystalline arthropathies (ie, gout and pseudogout) (joint pain, stiffness, swelling)
Inflammatory arthritis (eg, rheumatoid arthritis) (joint pain, stiffness, swelling)
Mark scheme for history taking can be found below
Acute Kidney Injury We have two kidneys in our body. The kidney is like a filter, removing waste and toxins from the blood. This waste and toxins come out in your pee. Acute kidney injury, or AKI, is when your kidneys are damaged, and the kidneys suddenly stops working properly. If the kidneys don’t do…
Gastrointestinal history 8 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Inflammatory bowel disease (diarrhoea, location of pain, fatigue, weight loss, blood in stools, extra-gastrointestinal manifestations) Other differentials: Chronic pancreatitis (possible due to weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain but less likely due to location of pain, no other suggestive symptoms) Coeliac disease (possible due to abdominal pain and…
Respiratory history 6 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Community acquired pneumonia (recent infectious contact, green/yellow sputum, fever, dyspnoea, tachycardia, chills and sweating) Other differentials: Acute bronchitis (similar in presentation but sweating and fever more associated with pneumonia, no wheeze or chest tightness) Influenza (less likely due to chills, productive cough, tachycardia, sweating, and no improvement…
Gastrointestinal history 7 Written by Moriom Begum Diagnosis: Anal fissure (fresh blood, pain during bowel movement, previous constipation) Other differentials: Haemorrhoids (fresh blood, previous constipation but less likely due to sharp pain during bowel movement and no lumps or pruritus) Inflammatory bowel disease (possible due to family history, may present with perianal disease, blood in…
Musculoskeletal history 3 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Gout (attacks of pain, inflammatory features, alcohol use, dietary risk factors) Differential diagnosis: Pseudogout (similar features but unlikely to affect the big toe) Septic arthritis (inflammatory features, but not episodic or associated with these risk factors) Corns/callus on plantar surface of foot (possible to explain pain but…
Gastrointestinal history 3 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Irritable bowel syndrome (flatulence, generalised abdominal pain, fluctuating between diarrhoea and constipation, link to anxiety) Other differentials: Inflammatory bowel disease – Crohn’s disease/ Ulcerative colitis (possible due to change in bowel habit but less likely due to lack of extra-gastrointestinal manifestations and no blood or mucus in…
