Differential Diagnosis for Abdominal Pain and Neurological Symptoms
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Porphyria: This group of disorders can cause abdominal pain, neurological symptoms such as seizures, and psychiatric disturbances due to the accumulation of porphyrins. The combination of abdominal and neurological symptoms makes porphyria a plausible diagnosis.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Diabetes Mellitus with Neuropathy and Abdominal Complications: Diabetes can cause neuropathy leading to neurological symptoms and can also lead to abdominal pain due to complications like gastroparesis or diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with Neurological Manifestations: Conditions like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can cause abdominal pain and, in some cases, neurological symptoms due to malabsorption, inflammation, or as an extraintestinal manifestation.
- Lead Poisoning: Lead exposure can cause abdominal pain, constipation, and neurological symptoms ranging from headache and irritability to seizures and encephalopathy.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Appendicitis with Psoas Sign: Although primarily an abdominal condition, appendicitis can cause neurological symptoms if the appendix ruptures and irritates nearby nerves, or if it leads to a psoas abscess.
- Eclampsia or Pre-eclampsia in Pregnancy: These conditions can cause abdominal pain and neurological symptoms like seizures and are critical to diagnose due to their high risk to both mother and fetus.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA): An AAA can cause abdominal pain and, if it ruptures, can lead to neurological symptoms due to hypovolemic shock or emboli.
- Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): This is a life-threatening neurological disorder caused by an adverse reaction to neuroleptic or antipsychotic medication, which can cause abdominal pain among its many symptoms.
Rare Diagnoses
- Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF): This genetic disorder can cause recurrent episodes of abdominal pain and, less commonly, neurological symptoms like meningitis.
- Whipple's Disease: A rare, systemic bacterial infection that can cause abdominal pain, weight loss, and neurological symptoms like dementia, seizures, or myoclonus.
- Celiac Disease with Neurological Manifestations: Some individuals with celiac disease may experience neurological symptoms due to malabsorption or as part of the disease's extraintestinal manifestations.
- Mitochondrial Disorders: These are a group of disorders that can affect many systems in the body, including causing abdominal pain and neurological symptoms due to mitochondrial dysfunction.