General | - State of nourishment, well or ill appearing
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Eyes | - Examine visual acuity by Snellen chart, visual fields by confrontation.
- Test extraocular movements and pupillary size and reactivity.
- Perform funduscopic examination, with or without mydriatics. Note any retinal lesions, white or yellow retinal discoloration, infiltrates, or hemorrhages (could indicate cytomegalovirus retinitis, retinal necrosis, or ocular toxoplasmosis).
- Referral to ophthalmologist for retinal examination every 6 months if the CD4 count is <50 cells/µL.
- Refer immediately if the patient has retinal lesions or new visual disturbances.
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Ears/Nose | - Examine ear canals and tympanic membranes.
- Visualize nasal turbinates.
- Palpate frontal and maxillary facial sinuses.
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Oral Cavity | - Good lighting is essential for this examination.
- Examine:
- Gingiva and teeth (note loss of teeth, decay, inflammation)
- Mucosal surfaces (with dentures removed) (note any lesions or discolorations)
- Posterior tongue
- Tonsils (note absence or presence; any abnormality in tonsil size)
- Pharynx (note lesions, exudate)
- Refer to oral health specialist for examination.
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Endocrine | - Check thyroid for enlargement, tenderness, nodules, and asymmetry.
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Lymph Nodes | - Document site and characteristics of each palpable node.
- Node Sites:
- Posterior cervical chain
- Anterior cervical chain
- Submandibular
- Supraclavicular
- Submental
- Axillary
- Epitrochlear
- Inguinal
- Femoral
- Characteristics:
- Size (two dimensions, in millimeters)
- Consistency (hard, fluctuant, soft)
- Tenderness
- Mobility
- Definition (discrete, matted)
- Symmetry
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Lungs | - Inspect, auscultate, and percuss.
- Note any abnormal sounds including crackles or wheezes (e.g., signs of infections, asthma, congestive heart failure).
- Note any absence of air movement (e.g., pneumothorax, pleural effusion).
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Heart | - Examine for jugular venous distention (JVD).
- Palpate for point of maximal impulse (PMI).
- Note rate and rhythm, heart sounds, murmurs, extra heart sounds.
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Breasts | - Palpate for breast masses in both men and women.
- Check for symmetry, nipple discharge, dimpling, and masses.
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Abdomen | - View: examine for distention, obesity, undernutrition, vascular prominence, petechiae.
- Auscultate; note bowel sounds.
- Percuss; record liver size.
- Palpate for hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, masses, tenderness or rebound tenderness.
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Genitals / Rectum | - Inspect the genitalia and perirectal area; note lesions, warts, etc.
- Look for discharges, ulcerative lesions, vesicles, or crusted lesions; take samples for diagnostic studies (e.g., for chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes simplex virus, syphilis, chancroid, as appropriate).
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Female Patients | - Perform speculum examination; note any lesions on vaginal walls or cervix.
- Obtain a Papanicolaou (Pap) test.
- Obtain endocervical swab for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and a posterior pool swab for wet mount evaluation for trichomoniasis, candidiasis, and bacterial vaginosis.
- Consider anal Pap test, especially if the patient has a history of an abnormal cervical Pap test or genital warts (perform before introduction of lubricant).*
- Bimanual examination; note size of uterus and ovaries, shape, and any tenderness or pelvic pain.
- Rectal examination (e.g., for anorectal lesions, warts) and evaluation of posterior uterine abnormalities.
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Male Patients | - Examine external genitalia; note whether patient is circumcised; note any lesions, discharge, or other abnormalities, as above. Perform testicular examination for masses, tenderness.
- Consider anal Pap test (perform before introduction of lubricant).*
- Digital rectal examination to evaluate rectal tone, discharge or tenderness, masses, or lesions; perform prostate examination if appropriate.
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Extremities / Musculoskeletal | - Joints; note any enlargement, swelling, or tenderness.
- Muscles; for the major muscle groups, evaluate muscle bulk (normal or decreased), tenderness, or weakness.
- Look for evidence of peripheral fat atrophy.
- Consider measuring baseline arm, thigh, and chest circumferences for later comparison.
- Note nail changes (clubbing, cyanosis, thickening, discoloration).
- Assess for pedal or leg edema.
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Habitus | - Look carefully for signs of lipoatrophy or lipohypertrophy, wasting, or obesity.
- Subcutaneous fat loss (face, extremities, buttocks).
- Central fat accumulation (neck, dorsocervical area, breasts, abdomen).
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Skin | - Examine the entire body, including scalp, axillae, palms, soles of feet, and pubic and perianal areas.
- Describe all lesions (e.g., size, borders, color, symmetry/asymmetry, distribution, raised/flat, induration, and encrustation).
- Note evidence of folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, Kaposi sarcoma, fungal infections, prurigo nodularis, etc.
- Note any tattoos and or body piercings.
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Neurologic | Assess the following: - Mental status, including orientation, registration, recent and remote memory, and ability to calculate (serial subtraction)
- Cranial nerves
- Peripheral sensory examination, including pinprick, temperature, and vibratory stimuli
- Extremity strength and gait to discern myopathy, neuropathy, and cerebellar disease
- Fine motor skills such as rapid alternating movements (often abnormal in dementia)
- Deep tendon and plantar reflexes
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Psychiatric | - Assess the patient's general mood (e.g., depressed, anxious, hypertalkative).
- Note verbal content (e.g., whether the patient answers questions appropriately; unusual or odd content).
- Note inappropriate or unusual behavior, such as extremes of denial, hostility, or compulsiveness.
- See section Neuropsychiatric Disorders for more complete information on common pathologies.
- If the possibility of an emergency situation exists (e.g., potential suicide or violence), refer to crisis mental health services for immediate evaluation.
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