Written by Olivia Nwosu
Tuberculosis (constitutional symptoms, recent travel history)
Other differentials:
Lung cancer (This is the main differential, but the travel history and low amount of cigarettes make this less likely)
Sarcoidosis (can produce a cough and systemic features but less likely due to no SOB and other body systems not affected)
Mark scheme for history taking can be found below
Cardiovascular history 3 Written by Olivia Nwosu Diagnosis: Myocardial infarction (due to cardiac nature of pain, intense, autonomic features, family history of cardiovascular disease, T2DM, cardiovascular risk factors) Other differentials: Unstable angina (due to cardiac features, but pain usually goes away) Oesophageal spasm (due to chest pain and previous heartburn, unlikely as factors point to…
Epilepsy Your brain cells send electrical signals to your body to tell you to do things, like move. Normally, the brain fires electrical signals in a controlled way. In epilepsy, the brain fires electrical signals in a random and uncontrolled way. When a fit happens, the brain cells are a bit like people at a…
Mental health history 1 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Anxiety (insomnia, racing thoughts, change in appetite, stress) Other differentials: Hyperthyroidism (possible due to racing thoughts but less likely as lack of systemic features) Depression (possible due to sleep disturbance and change in mood, but less likely due to lack of helplessness, typical depression features, and…
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 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…
Neurological history 4 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Meningitis (typical symptoms, infectious contacts) Differential diagnosis: Tension headache associated with a viral illness (possible due to features of infection, but less likely due to location of pain, photophobia) Migraine with aura (generalised headache with photophobia and family history, but less likely due to infectious symptoms and…
