Proximal Extremity Weakness and Altered Mental Status

Altered Mental Status

Although the majority of alterations in sensorium in cancer patients are caused by endogenous or exogenous intoxication, the clinician must be alert to the possibility of structural disease in any patient who experiences a change in mental status. Accurate diagnosis of structural disease and prompt intervention can significantly improve the outcome of cancer treatments. Mogami et al. (1983) not...

postdengue weakness and altered sensorium

Acute Onset of Weakness and Numbness in the Proximal Left Upper Extremity in a Swimmer

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy (HNPP) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by recurrent mono-neuropathies precipitated by minor trauma or compression. We present a case of 17-year-old young man who presented with sudden onset of weakness, and numbness of proximal left upper extremity which plateaued in a few weeks. His electrodiagnostic studies showed chronic b...

Altered mental status in a teenager.

A 13-year-old Hispanic male presented to the emergency department (ED) with an altered mental status (AMS) after a 4-day history of nausea and vomiting. Values for electrolytes, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and a complete blood count were all within their reference intervals. The patient’s symptoms...

Education Research: Evaluating acute altered mental status

Background: Clinical evaluation of hospitalized patients with acute altered mental status (AMS) is a common task of interns, regardless ofmedical specialty. The effectiveness ofmedical education to ensure competence in this area is unknown. Objective: To measure competency of new interns in the evaluation and management of AMS using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Methods: ...