Pancreatitis — MCQs

A 37-year-old man presents to the emergency department with rapid onset epigastric pain that started 4 hours ago. He describes the pain as severe, localized to the epigastric region and radiating to the back, which is partially relieved by leaning forward. He admits to binge drinking this evening at a friend’s party. He is nauseated but denies vomiting. Vital signs include: blood pressure 90/60 mm Hg, pulse 110/min, temperature 37.2°C (99.0°F), and respiratory rate 16/min. Physical examination shows tenderness to palpation over the epigastric region with no rebound or guarding. The bowel sounds are decreased on auscultation. The laboratory findings are significant for the following: Laboratory test Leukocyte Count 18,000/mm³ Neutrophils 81% Serum amylase 416 U/L Serum lipase 520 U/L Which of the following would be the most helpful in determining the prognosis in this case?

A 57-year-old man presents to the emergency department because he has been having abdominal pain for the past several months. Specifically, he complains of severe epigastric pain after eating that is sometimes accompanied by diarrhea. He has also lost 20 pounds over the same time period, which he attributes to the fact that the pain has been stopping him from wanting to eat. He does not recall any changes to his urine or stool. Physical exam reveals scleral icterus and a large non-tender gallbladder. Which of the following substances would most likely be elevated in the serum of this patient?

A 61-year-old woman presents to the urgent care unit with a 2-week history of abdominal pain after meals. The patient reports vomiting over the past few days. The past medical history is significant for osteoarthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. She regularly drinks alcohol. She does not smoke cigarettes. The patient currently presents with vital signs within normal limits. On physical examination, the patient appears to be in moderate distress, but she is alert and oriented. The palpation of the abdomen elicits tenderness in the epigastric region. The CT of the abdomen shows no signs of an acute process. The laboratory results are listed below. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis? Na+ 139 mEq/L K+ 4.4 mEq/L Cl- 109 mmol/L HCO3- 20 mmol/L BUN 14 mg/dL Cr 1.0 mg/dL Glucose 101 mg/dL Total cholesterol 187 mg/dL LDL 110 mg/dL HDL 52 mg/dL TG 120 mg/dL AST 65 IU/L ALT 47 IU/L GGT 27 IU/L Amylase 512 U/L Lipase 1,262 U/L

A 47-year-old woman with chronic epigastric pain comes to the physician because of a 1-month history of intermittent, loose, foul-smelling stools. She has also had a 6-kg (13-lb) weight loss. She has consumed 9–10 alcoholic beverages daily for the past 25 years. Seven years ago, she traveled to Mexico on vacation; she has not been outside the large metropolitan area in which she resides since then. She appears malnourished. The stool is pale and loose; fecal fat content is elevated. An immunoglobulin A serum anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody assay is negative. Further evaluation is most likely to show which of the following?

A 46-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of severe epigastric pain and vomiting for the past 4 hours. The pain is constant, radiates to his back, and is worse on lying down. He has had 3–4 episodes of greenish-colored vomit. He was treated for H. pylori infection around 2 months ago with triple-regimen therapy. He has atrial fibrillation and hypertension. He owns a distillery on the outskirts of a town. The patient drinks 4–5 alcoholic beverages daily. Current medications include dabigatran and metoprolol. He appears uncomfortable. His temperature is 37.8°C (100°F), pulse is 102/min, and blood pressure is 138/86 mm Hg. Examination shows severe epigastric tenderness to palpation with guarding but no rebound. Bowel sounds are hypoactive. Rectal examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Hematocrit 53% Leukocyte count 11,300/mm3 Serum Na+ 133 mEq/L Cl- 98 mEq/L K+ 3.1 mEq/L Calcium 7.8 mg/dL Urea nitrogen 43 mg/dL Glucose 271 mg/dL Creatinine 2.0 mg/dL Total bilirubin 0.7 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase 61 U/L AST 19 U/L ALT 17 U/L γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) 88 u/L (N=5–50 U/L) Lipase 900 U/L (N=14–280 U/L) Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 50-year-old Caucasian man is admitted to the ER with an 8-hour history of intense abdominal pain that radiates to the back, nausea, and multiple episodes of vomiting. Past medical history is insignificant. His blood pressure is 90/60 mm Hg, pulse is 120/min, respirations are 20/min, and body temperature is 37.8°C (100°F). Upon examination, he has significant epigastric tenderness, and hypoactive bowel sounds. Serum lipase and amylase are elevated and the patient rapidly deteriorates, requiring transfer to the intensive care unit for a month. After being stabilized, he is transferred to the general medicine floor with an abdominal computed tomography (CT) reporting a well-circumscribed collection of fluid of homogeneous density. Which of the following best describes the condition this patient has developed?

A 49-year-old male presents to his primary care physician for the first time in twelve years. His chief complaint is a new onset of diarrhea, which nothing seems to improve. He first noticed this diarrhea about a month ago. He complains of greasy stools, which leave a residue in his toilet bowl. Review of systems is notable for alcohol consumption of 12-16 cans of beer per day for the last two decades. Additionally, the patient endorses losing 12 lbs unintentionally over the last month. Vital signs are within normal limits and stable. Exam demonstrates a male who appears older than stated age; abdominal exam is notable for epigastric tenderness to palpation. What is the next step in diagnosis?

A 21-year-old college student comes to the emergency department because of a two-day history of vomiting and epigastric pain that radiates to the back. He has a history of atopic dermatitis and Hashimoto thyroiditis. His only medication is levothyroxine. He has not received any routine vaccinations. He drinks 1–2 beers on the weekends and occasionally smokes marijuana. The patient appears distressed and is diaphoretic. His temperature is 37.9°C (100.3°F), pulse is 105/min, respirations are 16/min, and blood pressure is 130/78 mm Hg. Physical examination shows abdominal distention with tenderness to palpation in the epigastrium. There is no guarding or rebound tenderness. Skin examination shows several clusters of yellow plaques over the trunk and extensor surfaces of the extremities. Hemoglobin concentration is 15.2 g/dL and serum calcium concentration is 7.9 mg/dL. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in evaluation?

A 43-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of severe epigastric pain and vomiting for 6 hours. The pain radiates to his back and he describes it as 9 out of 10 in intensity. He has had 3–4 episodes of vomiting during this period. He admits to consuming over 13 alcoholic beverages the previous night. There is no personal or family history of serious illness and he takes no medications. He is 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) tall and weighs 55 kg (121 lb); BMI is 17.6 kg/m2. He appears uncomfortable. His temperature is 37.5°C (99.5°F), pulse is 97/min, and blood pressure is 128/78 mm Hg. Abdominal examination shows severe epigastric tenderness to palpation. Bowel sounds are hypoactive. The remainder of the physical examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 13.5 g/dL Hematocrit 62% Leukocyte count 13,800/mm3 Serum Na+ 134 mEq/L K+ 3.6 mEq/L Cl- 98 mEq/L Calcium 8.3 mg/dL Glucose 180 mg/dL Creatinine 0.9 mg/dL Amylase 150 U/L Lipase 347 U/L (N = 14–280) Total bilirubin 0.8 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase 66 U/L AST 19 U/L ALT 18 U/L LDH 360 U/L Which of the following laboratory studies is the best prognostic indicator for this patient's condition?

A 58-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 4-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting. Initially, the vomitus was food that he had recently eaten, but it is now bilious. He has had similar complaints several times in the past 6 years. He has smoked 1 pack of cigarettes daily for the past 25 years and drinks 24 oz of alcohol daily. He is 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) tall and weighs 48 kg (105 lb); BMI is 19 kg/m2. His vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows an epigastric mass. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?