Which of the following can be a physical exam finding that raises concern for dangerous weight loss etiology?

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Lymphadenopathy can be a significant physical exam finding that raises concern for dangerous weight loss etiology. Lymphadenopathy refers to the enlargement of lymph nodes, which may indicate the presence of various underlying conditions, including infections, malignancies, or other systemic diseases that can lead to unintentional weight loss. The presence of enlarged lymph nodes, especially if they are hard, fixed, or associated with other systemic symptoms, should prompt further investigation for potential causes, such as lymphoma, metastatic cancer, tuberculosis, or other infectious processes.

While abdominal pain, bradycardia, and hypertension may also be relevant symptoms in the context of weight loss, they do not directly indicate a concern for dangerous underlying conditions as strongly as lymphadenopathy does. For example, abdominal pain can be related to various non-threatening gastrointestinal issues, bradycardia might be a physiological response without necessarily signaling severe pathology, and hypertension can occur in many different scenarios that are not directly associated with weight loss etiology. Therefore, lymphadenopathy is particularly noteworthy in the context of evaluating potentially serious causes of weight loss.

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