TABLE 2.
Signs and symptoms in patients with Whipple's disease
| Gastrointestinal | % of cases | Extraintestinal | % of cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | Common | ||
| Weight loss | 80–90 | Arthralgias, arthritis | 70–90 |
| Diarrhea | 70–85 | Anemia | 75–90 |
| Abdominal pain | 50–90 | Low grade intermittent fever | 40–60 |
| Lymphadenopathy | 40–60 | ||
| Hyperpigmentation | 40–60 | ||
| Less common | Less common | ||
| Abdominal mass | 15–25 | Cardiac | 35–65 |
| Hematochezia | Pericardial friction rub | ||
| Murmurs | |||
| Nonspecific ECG changes | |||
| Pulmonary | 35–60 | ||
| Chronic cough (20%)a | |||
| Pleuritic pain | |||
| CNS | 20–30 | ||
| Cognitive changes (71%)b | |||
| Supranuclear gaze palsy (51%)b | |||
| Altered level of consciousness (50%)b | |||
| Hypothalamic manifestations (31%)b | |||
| Myoclonus (25%)b | |||
| Ataxia (20%)b | |||
| OMM or OFSM (20%)b | |||
| Sensory deficits (12%)b | |||
| Ocular | 5–15 | ||
| Visual changes or loss | |||
| Uveitis | |||
| Retinitis | |||
| Splenomegaly | 5–10 | ||
| Ascites | 5–10 |
a
Frequency in patients with pulmonary manifestations.
b
Frequency in patients with CNS manifestations.