The great imitator

The Great Imitator (also the Great Masquerader) is a phrase used for medical conditions that feature nonspecific symptoms and may be confused with a number of other diseases.^[1] The term connotes especially difficult differential diagnosis, especial potential for misdiagnosis, and the protean nature of some diseases. Most great imitators are systemic in nature. Diseases sometimes referred to with this name include:

Various cancers^[2]
- Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma^[3]
- Mycosis fungoides
Beriberi
Various rheumatic conditions, including:
- Fibromyalgia^[4]
- Psoriatic arthritis^[5]
- Lupus erythematosus^[6]
  - Systemic lupus erythematosus^[7]^[8]
- Sarcoidosis^[9]
Multiple sclerosis^[10]
Celiac disease^[11]
Addison's disease^[12]
Pulmonary embolism^[13]
Various infectious diseases, including:
Breathing-related sleep disorders (chiefly sleep apnea/hypopnea and upper-airway resistance syndrome)
Hypoglycemia as an imitator of a stroke
Amyloidosis
Pheochromocytoma
Various abdominal conditions:
- Appendicitis
- Pancreatitis

References[]

^ J.C. Segen. The Dictionary of Modern Medicine. CRC Press; 1992. ISBN 978-1-85070-321-1. p. 265.
^ Kufe, Donald W. (2009). Holland-Frei cancer medicine (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 1–3. ISBN 978-1-60795-014-1.
^ Del Paggio, Joseph; et al. (2017). "Disturbances in blood flow and 'medicine's greatest imitator'". Internal Medicine Journal. 47 (5): 586–588. doi:10.1111/imj.13414. PMID 28503874. S2CID 3799976.
^ Fibromyalgia as the great imitator, retrieved December 16th, 2006
^ "Psoriatic arthritis". 29 Jan 2017.
^ "Right Care". 12 June 2014.
^ Bell, JM; Nair, R; Solon, A; Walker, PD (2005). "SLE: The great imitator strikes again". American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 45 (1): 219–22. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2004.05.049. PMID 15696465.
^ Rooney, J (2005). "Systemic lupus erythematosus: Unmasking a great imitator". Nursing. 35 (11): 54–60, quiz 60–61. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.1008.5428. doi:10.1097/00152193-200511000-00049. PMID 16280927.
^ Tchernev, G (2006). "Cutaneous sarcoidosis: The 'great imitator': Etiopathogenesis, morphology, differential diagnosis, and clinical management". American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 7 (6): 375–82. doi:10.2165/00128071-200607060-00006. PMID 17173472. S2CID 12854713.
^ Multiple Sclerosis as the great imitator Archived 2009-01-04 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved December 16th, 2006
^ Woods, William (1 January 2004). "Coeliac disease: the great imitator". Med. J. Aust. 181 (7): 371. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06331.x. PMID 15462655. S2CID 31629803 – via eMJA.
^ Williams, Penny; Evans, Sorcha; Thachil, Jecko (2010). "The Great Imitator". The American Journal of Medicine. 123 (7): e5. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2009.12.027. PMID 20609673.
^ Sharma, GV; Sasahara, AA; McIntyre, KM (1976). "Pulmonary embolism: The great imitator". Disease-a-Month. 22 (7): 4–38. doi:10.1016/s0011-5029(76)80005-3. PMID 770102.
^ "STD Facts - Syphilis". 2017-12-11.
^ NYT article on Lyme disease, retrieved December 16th, 2006
^ Lederman, Edith R.; Crum, Nancy F. (2004). "A Case Series and Focused Review of Nocardiosis". Medicine. 83 (5): 300–13. doi:10.1097/01.md.0000141100.30871.39. PMID 15342974. S2CID 23940448.
^ Sivers, Maurice L. (1961). "The Second "Great Imitator" - Tuberculosis". JAMA. 176 (9): 809–810. doi:10.1001/jama.1961.63040220009017a.
^ http://www.malariasite.com/clinical-features.htm^{[permanent dead link]}

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[Segen1992-1] J.C. Segen. The Dictionary of Modern Medicine. CRC Press; 1992. ISBN 978-1-85070-321-1. p. 265.

[Card10-2] Kufe, Donald W. (2009). Holland-Frei cancer medicine (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 1–3. ISBN 978-1-60795-014-1.

[3] Del Paggio, Joseph; et al. (2017). "Disturbances in blood flow and 'medicine's greatest imitator'". Internal Medicine Journal. 47 (5): 586–588. doi:10.1111/imj.13414. PMID 28503874. S2CID 3799976.

[4] Fibromyalgia as the great imitator, retrieved December 16th, 2006

[5] "Psoriatic arthritis". 29 Jan 2017.

[6] "Right Care". 12 June 2014.

[pmid15696465-7] Bell, JM; Nair, R; Solon, A; Walker, PD (2005). "SLE: The great imitator strikes again". American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 45 (1): 219–22. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2004.05.049. PMID 15696465.

[pmid16280927-8] Rooney, J (2005). "Systemic lupus erythematosus: Unmasking a great imitator". Nursing. 35 (11): 54–60, quiz 60–61. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.1008.5428. doi:10.1097/00152193-200511000-00049. PMID 16280927.

[pmid17173472-9] Tchernev, G (2006). "Cutaneous sarcoidosis: The 'great imitator': Etiopathogenesis, morphology, differential diagnosis, and clinical management". American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 7 (6): 375–82. doi:10.2165/00128071-200607060-00006. PMID 17173472. S2CID 12854713.

[10] Multiple Sclerosis as the great imitator Archived 2009-01-04 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved December 16th, 2006

[11] Woods, William (1 January 2004). "Coeliac disease: the great imitator". Med. J. Aust. 181 (7): 371. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06331.x. PMID 15462655. S2CID 31629803 – via eMJA.

[pmid20609673-12] Williams, Penny; Evans, Sorcha; Thachil, Jecko (2010). "The Great Imitator". The American Journal of Medicine. 123 (7): e5. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2009.12.027. PMID 20609673.

[pmid770102-13] Sharma, GV; Sasahara, AA; McIntyre, KM (1976). "Pulmonary embolism: The great imitator". Disease-a-Month. 22 (7): 4–38. doi:10.1016/s0011-5029(76)80005-3. PMID 770102.

[14] "STD Facts - Syphilis". 2017-12-11.

[15] NYT article on Lyme disease, retrieved December 16th, 2006

[pmid15342974-16] Lederman, Edith R.; Crum, Nancy F. (2004). "A Case Series and Focused Review of Nocardiosis". Medicine. 83 (5): 300–13. doi:10.1097/01.md.0000141100.30871.39. PMID 15342974. S2CID 23940448.

[http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=331211-17] Sivers, Maurice L. (1961). "The Second "Great Imitator" - Tuberculosis". JAMA. 176 (9): 809–810. doi:10.1001/jama.1961.63040220009017a.

[18] ttp://www.malariasite.com/clinical-features.htm^{[permanent dead link]}

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