Diphtheria Microchapters |
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Diphtheria physical examination On the Web |
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Diphtheria physical examination |
Risk calculators and risk factors for Diphtheria physical examination |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Dima Nimri, M.D. [2]
A patient with diptheria usually looks ill, with such systemic signs as fever, tachypnea, and tachycardia. Pharyngeal, respiratory, neurologic, cardiac, and other physical examination findings may be present depending on the extent and severity of the infection.
Some or all of the following physical findings may be present, depending on the extent of spread and severity of the diphtheria infection:[1][2][3]
Organ System | Findings |
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General Appearance | Ill-appearing |
Vital Signs | Fever |
Tachycardia | |
Tachypnea | |
Skin | Ulceration |
HEENT | Cervical adenopathy |
Bull neck | |
Neck edema | |
Pseudomembranous tonsilloparyngeal exudates | |
Edema of tonsils and uvula | |
Rhinorrhea | |
Lungs | Cough |
Dyspnea | |
Hemoptysis | |
Stridor | |
Heart | Sinus bradycardia |
S3 gallop | |
Arrythmia | |
Distant heart sounds | |
Displaced PMI | |
Neurological | Peripheral neuropathy |
Cranial Nerve III, IX, X palsies | |
Paresis or Paralysis |