Liver disease — MCQs

A 22-year-old woman comes to the office with complaints of dark urine and low-grade fever for 3 months. She also expresses her concerns about feeling fatigued most of the time. She says that she thought her dark urine was from dehydration and started to drink more water, but it showed minimal improvement. She reports a recent decrease in her appetite, and also states that her bowel movements are pale appearing. She denies smoking and alcohol consumption. The vital signs include: heart rate 99/min, respiratory rate 18/min, temperature 38.5°C (101.3°F) and blood pressure 100/60 mm Hg. On physical examination, telangiectasias on the anterior thorax are noted. The liver is palpable 4 cm below the costal border in the right midclavicular line and is tender on palpation. The spleen is palpable 2 cm below the costal border. Liver function results show: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 50 U/L Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) 780 U/L Total bilirubin 10 mg/dL Direct bilirubin 6 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 150 U/L Serum albumin 2.5 g/dL Serum globulins 6.5 g/dL Prothrombin time 14 s Agglutinations negative Serology for hepatitis C and D negative Anti-smooth muscle antibodies positive What is the most likely cause?

A 50-year-old woman comes to the office complaining of fatigue over the last several months. She feels ‘drained out’ most of the time and she drinks coffee and takes other stimulants to make it through the day. She also complains of severe itching all over her body for about 3 months which worsens at night. Her past medical history is significant for celiac disease. Additionally, she uses eye drops for a foreign body sensation in her eyes with little relief. Her mother has some neck problem for which she takes medicine, but she could not provide with any further information. Vitals include temperature 37.0°C (98.6°F), blood pressure 120/85 mm Hg, pulse 87/min, and respiration 18/min. BMI 26 kg/m2. On physical examination, there are skin excoriations and scleral icterus. Her gums are also yellow. Laboratory values: Total bilirubin 2.8 mg/dL Direct bilirubin 2.0 mg/dL Albumin 4.5 g/dL AST 35 U/L ALT 40 U/L ALP 240 U/L Ultrasonogram of the right upper quadrant shows no abnormality. What is the next best step to do?

A 57-year-old man presents to the emergency department for feeling weak for the past week. He states that he has felt much more tired than usual and has had a subjective fever during this time. The patient has a past medical history of IV drug use, hepatitis C, atrial fibrillation, cirrhosis, alcohol dependence, obesity, and depression. His temperature is 102°F (38.9°C), blood pressure is 157/98 mmHg, pulse is 110/min, respirations are 17/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. On physical exam, you note a fatigued man with diffuse yellowing of his skin. Cardiopulmonary exam is notable for bibasilar crackles on auscultation. Abdominal exam is notable for abdominal distension, dullness to percussion, and a fluid wave. The patient complains of generalized tenderness on palpation of his abdomen. The patient is started on piperacillin-tazobactam and is admitted to the medical floor. On day 4 of his stay in the hospital the patient is afebrile and his pulse is 92/min. His abdominal tenderness is reduced but is still present. Diffuse yellowing of the patient's skin and sclera is still notable. The nurses notice bleeding from the patient's 2 peripheral IV sites that she has to control with pressure. A few new bruises are seen on the patient's arms and legs. Which of the following is the best explanation for this patient's condition?

A 49-year-old woman presents to the office for a follow-up visit. She was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver 1 year ago and is currently receiving symptomatic treatment along with complete abstinence from alcohol. She does not have any complaints. She has a 4-year history of gout, which has been asymptomatic during treatment with medication. She is currently prescribed spironolactone and probenecid. She follows a diet rich in protein. The physical examination reveals mild ascites with no palpable abdominal organs. A complete blood count is within normal limits, while a basic metabolic panel with renal function shows the following: Sodium 141 mEq/L Potassium 5.1 mEq/L Chloride 101 mEq/L Bicarbonate 22 mEq/L Albumin 3.4 mg/dL Urea nitrogen 4 mg/dL Creatinine 1.2 mg/dL Uric Acid 6.8 mg/dL Calcium 8.9 mg/dL Glucose 111 mg/dL Which of the following explains the blood urea nitrogen result?

A 50-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of difficulties having sexual intercourse due to erectile dysfunction. He has type 2 diabetes mellitus that is well controlled with metformin. He does not smoke. He drinks 5–6 beers daily. His vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows bilateral pedal edema, decreased testicular volume, and increased breast tissue. The spleen is palpable 2 cm below the left costal margin. Abdominal ultrasound shows an atrophic, hyperechoic, nodular liver. An upper endoscopy is performed and shows dilated submucosal veins 2 mm in diameter with red spots on their surface in the distal esophagus. Therapy with a sildenafil is initiated for his erectile dysfunction. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management of this patient's esophageal findings?

A 49-year-old man presents to the emergency department with abdominal discomfort, fever, and decreased urination. He has a history of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C infection. His blood pressure is 90/70 mm Hg, pulse is 75/min, and temperature 38°C (100.4°F). On physical examination he is jaundiced, and he has tense ascites with generalized abdominal tenderness. There is pitting edema to the level of his upper thighs. Which of the following excludes the diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome in this patient?

A 65-year-old obese man presents to his primary care clinic feeling weak. He was in the military and stationed in Vietnam in his youth. His current weakness gradually worsened to the point that he had to call his son to help him stand to get on the ambulance. He smokes a pack of cigarettes every day and drinks a bottle of vodka a week. He has been admitted for alcohol withdrawal multiple times and has been occasionally taking thiamine, folic acid, and naltrexone. He denies taking steroids. His temperature is 98°F (36.7°C), blood pressure is 170/90 mmHg, pulse is 75/min, and respirations are 20/min. He is obese with a significant pannus. Hepatomegaly is not appreciable. Abdominal striae are present. His workup is notable for the following: Serum: Na+: 142 mEq/L Cl-: 102 mEq/L K+: 3.9 mEq/L HCO3-: 25 mEq/L BUN: 24 mg/dL Glucose: 292 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.5 mg/dL Ca2+: 10.1 mg/dL AST: 7 U/L ALT: 14 U/L 24-hour urinary cortisol: 400 µg (reference range < 300 µg) Serum cortisol: 45 pg/mL (reference range < 15 pg/mL) A 48-hour high dose dexamethasone suppression trial shows that his serum cortisol levels partially decrease to 25 pg/mL and his adrenocorticotropin-releasing hormone (ACTH) level decreases from 10 to 6 pg/mL (reference range > 5 pg/mL). What is the best next step in management?

A 35-year-old man presents with yellow discoloration of his eyes and skin for the past week. He also says he has pain in the right upper quadrant for the past few days. He is fatigued constantly and has recently developed acute onset itching all over his body. The patient denies any allergies. Past medical history is significant for ulcerative colitis diagnosed 2 years ago, managed medically. He is vaccinated against hepatitis A and B and denies any recent travel abroad. There is scleral icterus present, and mild hepatosplenomegaly is noted. The remainder of the physical examination is unremarkable. Laboratory findings are significant for: Total bilirubin 3.4 mg/dL Prothrombin time 12 s Aspartate transaminase (AST) 158 IU/L Alanine transaminase (ALT) 1161 IU/L Alkaline phosphatase 502 IU/L Serum albumin 3.1 g/dL Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA) positive Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 46-year-old female with a history of hypertension and asthma presents to her primary care physician for a health maintenance visit. She states that she has no current complaints and generally feels very healthy. The physician obtains routine blood work, which demonstrates elevated transaminases. The physician should obtain further history about all of the following EXCEPT:

A 40-year-old man presents with acute abdominal pain. Past medical history is significant for hepatitis C, complicated by multiple recent visits with associated ascites. His temperature is 38.3°C (100.9°F), heart rate is 115/min, blood pressure is 88/48 mm Hg, and respiratory rate is 16/min. On physical examination, the patient is alert and in moderate discomfort. Cardiopulmonary examination is unremarkable. Abdominal examination reveals distant bowel sounds on auscultation. There is also mild diffuse abdominal tenderness to palpation with guarding present. The remainder of the physical examination is unremarkable. A paracentesis is performed. Laboratory results are significant for the following: Leukocyte count 11,630/µL (with 94% neutrophils) Platelets 24,000/µL Hematocrit 29% Ascitic fluid analysis: Cell count 658 PMNs/µL Total protein 1.2 g/dL Glucose 24 mg/dL Gram stain Gram-negative rods Culture Culture yields growth of E. coli Which of the following is the next, best step in the management of this patient?