When Illness Stories Lose Their Momentum.

Thorough diagnostic testing in a geriatric patient with weight loss, cough, and night sweats fails to produce a definitive diagnosis.

• Why it matters: This highlights the challenge of diagnosing complex symptoms in older adults, emphasizing the need for nuanced clinical approaches when tests are inconclusive.
• What they did: A geriatrician conducted comprehensive diagnostic tests on a patient presenting these symptoms, but the results did not clarify the underlying cause.
• The result: The case underscores the importance of narrative and clinical judgment in managing diagnostic uncertainty, especially when illness stories lose their momentum.