Question

A patient in the intensive care unit is delirious and agitated. The electroencephalogram demonstrates a characteristic pattern of triphasic waves and some generalized background slowing. What other clinical bedside sign would you be most likely to see in this patient on physical examination?

A. Herpetic skin vesicles
B. Penile chancre
C. Asterixis
D. Dupuytren's contractures
E. Pulmonary rales

Answer 1

The clinical bedside sign most likely to be seen in a patient with delirium and agitated states, as indicated by the EEG pattern, is asterixis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical bedside sign that would most likely be seen in a patient with delirium and agitated states, as indicated by the characteristic pattern of triphasic waves and generalized background slowing on the electroencephalogram (EEG), is asterixis. Asterixis, also known as the 'liver flap,' is a motor disturbance characterized by brief, nonrhythmic lapses of the extremities during sustained posture holding. It is commonly observed in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, a condition characterized by impaired brain function due to liver failure or liver disease.