Gastroenterology — MCQs

A 45-year-old male presents to his primary care physician complaining of joint pain and stiffness. He reports progressively worsening pain and stiffness in his wrists and fingers bilaterally over the past six months that appears to improve in the afternoon and evening. His past medical history is notable for obesity and diabetes mellitus. He takes metformin and glyburide. His family history is notable for osteoarthritis in his father and psoriasis in his mother. His temperature is 98.6°F (37°C), blood pressure is 130/80 mmHg, pulse is 90/min, and respirations are 16/min. On examination, his bilateral metacarpophalangeal joints and proximal interphalangeal joints are warm and mildly edematous. The presence of antibodies directed against which of the following is most specific for this patient’s condition?

A 15-year-old girl is brought to the physician because of an 8-month history of fatigue, intermittent postprandial abdominal bloating and discomfort, foul-smelling, watery diarrhea, and a 7-kg (15-lb) weight loss. She developed a pruritic rash on her knees 3 days ago. Physical examination shows several tense, excoriated vesicles on the knees bilaterally. The abdomen is soft and nontender. Her hemoglobin concentration is 8.2 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume is 76 μm3. Further evaluation of this patient is most likely to show which of the following findings?

A 26-year-old man presents to his primary doctor with one week of increasing weakness. He reports that he first noticed difficulty walking while attending his sister's graduation last week, and yesterday he had difficulty taking his coffee cup out of the microwave. He remembers having nausea and vomiting a few weeks prior, but other than that has no significant medical history. On exam, he has decreased reflexes in his bilateral upper and lower extremities, with intact sensation. If a lumbar puncture is performed, which of the following results are most likely?

A 52-year-old man presents to the office for evaluation of a 'weird rash' that appeared over his torso last week. The patient states that the rash just seemed to appear, but denies itching, pain, or exposure. On physical examination, the patient has multiple light brown-colored flat plaques on the torso. They appear to be 'stuck on' but do not have associated erythema or swelling. What condition is this clinical presentation most likely associated with?

A 66-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician with complaints of constipation and left lower abdominal discomfort. She says the pain usually gets worse after meals, which is felt as a dull pain. Her past medical history is positive for gastroesophageal reflux disease, for which she takes omeprazole. There is a positive history of chronic constipation but no episodes of bloody stools. On physical examination, she has a temperature of 38.5°C (101.3°F), blood pressure of 110/70 mm Hg, heart rate of 100/min, and respiratory rate of 19/min. Stool occult blood is negative. Which of the following is the most appropriate study to be performed at this stage?

A 52-year-old woman complains of intermittent diffuse abdominal pain that becomes worse after eating meals and several episodes of diarrhea, the last of which was bloody. These symptoms have been present for the previous 6 months but have worsened recently. She has had significant weight loss since the onset of symptoms. Her past medical history includes systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which has been difficult to manage medically. Vital signs include a blood pressure of 100/70 mm Hg, temperature of 37.1°C (98.8 °F), and pulse of 95/min. On physical examination, the patient appears to be in severe pain, and there is mild diffuse abdominal tenderness. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 25-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by police. The patient was found intoxicated at a local bar. The patient is combative and smells of alcohol. The patient has a past medical history of alcoholism, IV drug use, and schizophrenia. His current medications include IM haloperidol and ibuprofen. The patient is currently homeless and has presented to the emergency department similarly multiple times. His temperature is 97.0°F (36.1°C), blood pressure is 130/87 mmHg, pulse is 100/min, respirations are 15/min, and oxygen saturation is 96% on room air. Physical exam is deferred due to patient non-compliance. Laboratory values reveal an acute kidney injury and a normal PT/PTT. The patient is started on IV fluids and ketorolac to control symptoms of a headache. The patient begins to vomit into a basin. The nursing staff calls for help when the patient’s vomit appears grossly bloody. Which of the following best describes the most likely diagnosis?

A 65-year-old woman is brought to the emergency room by her family with complaints of confusion and change in behavior. Her family states that over the last 2 weeks, the patient has become increasingly irritable and confused as well as aggressive toward strangers. In addition to her altered mental status, her family also endorses recent episodes of abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. Her medications include HCTZ, enalapril, loperamide, and a calcium supplement. There is no history of recent travel outside the United States. Her temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C), pulse is 112/min, blood pressure is 100/70 mmHg, respirations are 18/min, and oxygen saturation is 93% on room air. Physical exam is notable for a thin, ill-appearing woman. Cardiac exam is significant for sinus tachycardia and bowel sounds are hyperactive. Purple discoloration with scale-crust is noted around her neck and upper chest, as well as on her hands and feet. A chest radiograph shows clear lung fields bilaterally, but an echocardiogram shows thickening of the right ventricular endocardium with mild tricuspid stenosis. Which of the following is the next best diagnostic step?

A 68-year-old woman comes to the physician with dysphagia and halitosis for several months. She feels food sticking to her throat immediately after swallowing. Occasionally, she regurgitates undigested food hours after eating. She has no history of any serious illness and takes no medications. Her vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination including the oral cavity, throat, and neck shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate diagnostic study at this time?

A 55-year-old man presents to his primary care physician with a complaint of fatigue for a couple of months. He was feeling well during his last visit 6 months ago. He has a history of hypertension for the past 8 years, diabetes mellitus for the past 5 years, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) for a year. The vital signs include: blood pressure 138/84 mm Hg, pulse 81/min, temperature 36.8°C (98.2°F), and respiratory rate 9/min. On physical examination, moderate pallor is noted on the palpebral conjunctiva and nail bed. Complete blood count results are as follows: Hemoglobin 8.5 g/dL RBC 4.2 million cells/µL Hematocrit 39% Total leukocyte count 6,500 cells/µL Neutrophils 61% Lymphocytes 34% Monocytes 4% Eosinophils 1% Basophils 0% Platelets 240,000 cells/µL A basic metabolic panel shows: Sodium 133 mEq/L Potassium 5.8 mEq/L Chloride 101 mEq/L Bicarbonate 21 mEq/L Albumin 3.1 mg/dL Urea nitrogen 31 mg/dL Creatinine 2.8 mg/dL Uric acid 6.4 mg/dL Calcium 8.1 mg/dL Glucose 111 mg/dL Which of the following explanations best explains the mechanism for his decreased hemoglobin?