Liver disease — MCQs

A 42-year-old man presents to his primary care provider with recent swelling in his legs that has now spread to the lower part of his thighs. He sometimes has difficulty putting on his shoes and pants. He also noticed puffiness under his eyes over the last 3 weeks. A 24-hour urine collection confirms proteinuria of 5 g/day. Electron microscopy of a renal biopsy specimen reveals subepithelial deposits with a spike and dome pattern. Which of the following is associated with this patient’s condition?

A 67-year-old man is brought to the emergency department when he was found obtunded at the homeless shelter. The patient is currently not responsive and smells of alcohol. The patient has a past medical history of alcohol use, IV drug use, and hepatitis C. His temperature is 99°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 95/65 mmHg, pulse is 95/min, respirations are 13/min, and oxygen saturation is 95% on room air. The patient is started on IV fluids, and his pulse decreases to 70/min. On physical exam, the patient has an abdominal exam notable for distension and a positive fluid wave. The patient displays mild yellow discoloration of his skin. The patient has notable poor dentition and poor hygiene overall. A systolic murmur is heard along the left sternal border on cardiac exam. Pulmonary exam is notable for mild bibasilar crackles. Laboratory values are ordered, and return as below: Hemoglobin: 10 g/dL Hematocrit: 32% Leukocyte count: 7,500 cells/mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 227,000/mm^3 Serum: Na+: 125 mEq/L Cl-: 100 mEq/L K+: 5.0 mEq/L HCO3-: 24 mEq/L BUN: 51 mg/dL Glucose: 89 mg/dL Creatinine: 2.2 mg/dL Ca2+: 10.0 mg/dL AST: 22 U/L ALT: 19 U/L Urine: Color: Amber Nitrites: Negative Sodium: 12 mmol/24 hours Red blood cells: 0/hpf Over the next 24 hours, the patient produces very little urine. Which of the following best explains this patient’s renal findings?

A 72-year-old man comes to the emergency department for progressively worsening abdominal pain. The pain began 2 weeks ago and is localized to the right upper quadrant. He feels sick and fatigued. He also reports breathlessness when climbing the stairs to his first-floor apartment. He is a retired painter. He has hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. He is sexually active with one female partner and does not use condoms consistently. He began having sexual relations with his most recent partner 2 months ago. He smoked 1 pack of cigarettes daily for 40 years but quit 10 years ago. He does not drink alcohol. Current medications include insulin and enalapril. He is 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) tall and weighs 110 kg (264 lb); BMI is 33.5 kg/m2. His vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows jaundice, a distended abdomen, and tender hepatomegaly. There is no jugular venous distention. A grade 2/6 systolic ejection murmur is heard along the right upper sternal border. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 18.9 g/dL Aspartate aminotransferase 450 U/L Alanine aminotransferase 335 U/L Total bilirubin 2.1 mg/dL Which of the following is the most likely cause of his symptoms?

A 45-year-old man presents for a routine checkup. He says he has arthralgia in his hands and wrists. No significant past medical history. The patient takes no current medications. Family history is significant for his grandfather who died of liver cirrhosis from an unknown disease. He denies any alcohol use or alcoholism in the family. The patient is afebrile and vital signs are within normal limits. On physical examination, there is bronze hyperpigmentation of the skin and significant hepatomegaly is noted. The remainder of the exam is unremarkable. Which of the following is true about this patient’s most likely diagnosis?

A 36-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department after being involved in a motor vehicle collision. She is alert, awake, and oriented. There is no family history of serious illness and her only medication is an oral contraceptive. Her temperature is 37.3°C (99°F), pulse is 100/min, respirations are 20/min, and blood pressure is 102/80 mm Hg. Physical examination shows ecchymoses over the trunk and abdomen. A FAST scan of the abdomen is negative. An x-ray of the chest shows no fractures. A contrast-enhanced CT scan of the chest and abdomen is performed that shows a 4-cm sharply defined liver mass with a hypoattenuated central scar. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 39-year-old woman presents to the family medicine clinic to be evaluated by her physician for weight gain. She reports feeling fatigued most of the day despite eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. The patient smokes a half-pack of cigarettes daily and has done so for the last 23 years. She is employed as a phlebotomist by the Red Cross. She has a history of hyperlipidemia for which she takes atorvastatin. She is unaware of her vaccination history, and there is no documented record of her receiving any vaccinations. Her heart rate is 76/min, respiratory rate is 14/min, temperature is 37.3°C (99.1°F), body mass index (BMI) is 33 kg/m2, and blood pressure is 128/78 mm Hg. The patient appears alert and oriented. Lung and heart auscultation are without audible abnormalities. The physician orders a thyroid panel to determine if that patient has hypothyroidism. Which of the following recommendations may be appropriate for the patient at this time?

A 62-year-old man with a history notable for alpha-thalassemia now presents to an urgent care clinic with complaints of increased thirst and urinary frequency. The physical exam is unremarkable, although there is a bronze discoloration of his skin. The laboratory analysis reveals a fasting blood glucose of 192 mg/dL, and a HbA1c of 8.7. Given the following options, what is the best treatment for the patient’s underlying disease?

A 57-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by a social worker from the homeless shelter. The man was acting strangely and then found unresponsive in his room. The social worker says she noticed many empty pill bottles near his bed. The patient has a past medical history of multiple hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis, dehydration, and suicide attempts. He is not currently taking any medications and is a known IV drug user. His temperature is 99.2°F (37.3°C), blood pressure is 107/48 mmHg, pulse is 140/min, respirations are 22/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Physical exam is notable for a man with a Glasgow coma scale of 6. Laboratory values are ordered as seen below. Hemoglobin: 10 g/dL Hematocrit: 30% Leukocyte count: 5,500/mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 147,000/mm^3 Serum: Albumin: 1.9 g/dL Na+: 139 mEq/L Cl-: 100 mEq/L K+: 4.3 mEq/L HCO3-: 25 mEq/L BUN: 29 mg/dL Glucose: 65 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.5 mg/dL Ca2+: 10.2 mg/dL Prothrombin time: 27 seconds Partial thromboplastin time: 67 seconds AST: 12 U/L ALT: 10 U/L Which of the following is the most appropriate immediate management for this patient?

A 56-year-old female presents for initial evaluation by a rheumatologist with a chief complaint of back and joint pain. She says that she has been having mild pain for years, but that the pain has become worse over the course of the last 6 months. She clarifies that the pain is most severe in the mornings just after waking up but seems to improve throughout the day. She also notices that her mouth feels dry and she has difficulty eating dry food such as crackers. Finally, she has the sensation of having bits of sand in her eyes. She denies any past medical history or medication use. Serology for which of the following would most likely be positive in this patient?

A 15-year-old boy is brought to the emergency room for evaluation of malaise, dyspnea, and yellow skin and sclera. On examination, he is tachycardic, tachypneic, and the O2 saturation is less than 90%. The levels of unconjugated bilirubin and hemoglobinemia are increased, and there is an increased number of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood. What is the most likely diagnosis?