Sistema de Salut de Catalunya
Institut Català de la Salut
[Aligué J] Central Catalonia Chronicity Research Group (C3RG), Internal Medicine Department, Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa, Manresa, Spain. Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC), Vic, Spain. [Vicente M] Primary Care, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain. [Arnau A] Central Catalonia Chronicity Research Group (C3RG), Clinical Research Unit. Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa, Manresa, Spain. [Trapé J] Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC), Vic, Spain. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa, Manresa, Spain. [Martínez E, Bonet M] Internal Medicine Department, Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa, Manresa, Spain. [San José A] Servei de Medicina Interna, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus
2022-04-22T15:40:06Z
2022-04-22T15:40:06Z
2021-09-23
Detección y diagnóstico del cáncer; Tumores malignos; Etiología
Detecció i diagnòstic del càncer; Tumors malignes; Etiologia
Cancer detection and diagnosis; Malignant tumors; Etiology
Background Numerous studies on involuntary weight loss (IWL) have been published since the 1980s, although most of them have included small samples of patients with specific symptoms. The aim of the present study was to determine the causes, demographic and clinical characteristics and mortality at 12 months in patients attended at a rapid diagnostic unit (RDU) for isolated IWL. Methods A single-center retrospective observational study including all patients presenting to the RDU for isolated IWL between 2005 and 2013. The following data were recorded: demographic and clinical variables, results of complementary tests (blood tests, x-rays, computed tomography scan and digestive endoscopy), main diagnosis and vital status at 12 months. Results Seven hundred and ninety-one patients met the criteria for IWL. Mean age was 67.9 years (SD 4.7), 50.4% were male and mean weight loss was 8.3 kg (SD 4.7). The cause for IWL was malignant disease in 23.6% of patients, non-malignant organic disease in 44.5%, psychiatric disorder in 29.0% and unknown in 3.2%. Overall mortality at 12 months was 18.6% (95%CI: 16.1–21.6). The mortality rate was highest in the group with malignancy (61.1%; 95%CI: 54.2–68.2). Conclusions Almost a quarter of all patients attended at the RDU for IWL were diagnosed with cancer. Mortality at 12 months was higher in this group than in the other three. Malignancy should therefore be ruled out during the first visit for patients attended for IWL.
The authors received no specific funding for this work.
Article
Published version
English
Càncer - Diagnòstic; Aprimament; Mortalitat; DISEASES::Neoplasms; Other subheadings::Other subheadings::/diagnosis; DISEASES::Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms::Signs and Symptoms::Body Weight::Body Weight Changes::Weight Loss; ANALYTICAL, DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES, AND EQUIPMENT::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Data Collection::Vital Statistics::Mortality; ENFERMEDADES::neoplasias; Otros calificadores::Otros calificadores::/diagnóstico; ENFERMEDADES::afecciones patológicas, signos y síntomas::signos y síntomas::peso corporal::cambios en el peso corporal::pérdida de peso; TÉCNICAS Y EQUIPOS ANALÍTICOS, DIAGNÓSTICOS Y TERAPÉUTICOS::técnicas de investigación::métodos epidemiológicos::recopilación de datos::estadísticas vitales::mortalidad
Public Library of Science
PLOS ONE;16(9)
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257752
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Articles científics - HVH [3439]
