Systemic Pathology — MCQs

A 39-year-old man presents to the emergency department with the complaint of ‘cola-colored’ urine that he noticed this morning. Additionally, he complains of malaise and reports that he has not been able to be productive at work since last week. Lab results revealed a hemoglobin of 6.7 g/dL, leukocyte total count of 1,000 cells/mm3, and a reticulocyte count of 6%. Coomb test is negative and flow cytometry shows CD55/CD59-negative red blood cells. Concerned about the results of his complete blood count, his physician explains the diagnosis to the patient. Which of the following sets of events best describes the mechanism underlying the development of neutropenia?

A 35-year-old man presents with large tense blisters on the flexor surfaces of the upper extremities and trunk. The histologic findings show subepidermal blisters with an eosinophil-rich infiltrate. What is the most likely underlying pathology?

A 29-year-old woman comes to the office with the complaints of severe bleeding after a dental extraction which required local hemostatic therapy. She has a long-term excessive menstrual bleeding and iron-deficiency anemia that required treatment with iron supplement since the age of 17. In addition, she states that her mother also has a history of frequent nosebleeds. The vital signs include: pulse rate 107/min, respiratory rate 17/min, temperature 37.2°C (99.0°F), and blood pressure 90/60 mm Hg. Her physical exam shows generalized pallor. The complete blood count results are as follows: Hemoglobin 10.7 g/dL Hematocrit 41% Leukocyte count 8,000/mm3 Neutrophils 54% Bands 3% Eosinophils 1% Basophils 0% Lymphocytes 32% Monocytes 2% Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 25.4 pg/cell Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 31% Hb/cell Mean corpuscular volume 76 μm3 Platelet count 380,000/mm³ The coagulation test results are as follows: Partial thromboplastin time (activated) 48.0 s Prothrombin time 14.0 s International normalized ratio 0.9 What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 24-year-old woman presents with blisters and erosions on her upper face, chest, and back. The blisters have erythema, scales, and crust formation. Examination shows oromucosal involvement. Histopathologic evaluation reveals a tombstone arrangement at the base of the blister. What is the most likely cause for the patient's condition?

A 32-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 3-week history of cough, weight loss, and night sweats. He migrated from Sri Lanka 6 months ago. He appears emaciated. His temperature is 38.1°C (100.5°F). Physical examination shows enlargement of the right supraclavicular lymph node. Chest and abdominal examination show no abnormalities. An interferon-gamma assay is positive. A biopsy specimen of the cervical lymph node is most likely to show the causal organism in which of the following locations?

A 43-year-old man presents to the emergency department following a work-related accident in which both arms were amputated. The patient lost a substantial amount of blood prior to arrival, and his bleeding is difficult to control due to arterial damage and wound contamination with debris. His complete blood count (CBC) is significant for a hemoglobin (Hgb) level of 5.3 g/dL. The trauma surgery resident initiates the massive transfusion protocol and orders whole blood, O negative, which she explains is the universal donor. The patient receives 6 units of O negative blood prior to admission. He subsequently develops fever, chills, hematuria, and pulmonary edema. Several hours later, the patient goes into hemodynamic shock requiring the emergent administration of vasopressors. Of the following options, which hypersensitivity reaction occurred?

A 37-year-old man presents to an urgent care clinic with complaints of speech problems and yellowing of his eyes for a week. He admits to using illicit intravenous drugs. His vital signs include: blood pressure 110/60 mm Hg, pulse rate 78/min, and respiratory rate 22/min. On examination, the patient appears jaundiced, and his speech is slurred. His liver enzymes and viral markers are as follows: Aspartate aminotransferase 6,700 IU/L Alanine aminotransferase 5,000 IU/L HBsAg Negative Anti-HBs Negative Anti-HCV Ab Positive HCV RNA Positive If this patient develops chronic hepatitis C infection, he is at risk of developing a secondary dermatological condition. A biopsy of this skin condition would most likely show which of the following findings?

A 36-year-old man comes to the physician for a 4-week history of swollen legs. He has difficulty putting on socks because of the swelling. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with sleep apnea. He takes no medications. He emigrated from Guatemala with his family when he was a child. He is 171 cm (5 ft 6 in) tall and weighs 115 kg (253 lb); BMI is 39 kg/m2. His pulse is 91/min and blood pressure is 135/82 mm Hg. Examination shows periorbital and bilateral lower extremity edema. Serum Albumin 3.1 g/dL Total cholesterol 312 mg/dL Urine Blood negative Protein +4 RBC 1-2/hpf RBC cast negative Fatty casts numerous A renal biopsy is obtained. Which of the following is most likely to be seen under light microscopy of the patient's renal biopsy specimen?

A 15-year-old African American boy presents to a pediatrician with complaints of yellow discoloration of the sclerae for the last 3 days. His mother informs the pediatrician that the boy developed prolonged jaundice during the neonatal period. On physical examination, vital signs are stable and general examination shows mild icterus and pallor. Examination of the abdomen suggests mild splenomegaly. Laboratory results are as follows: Hemoglobin 9.9 g/dL Total leukocyte count 7,500/mm3 Platelet count 320,000/mm3 Reticulocyte count 5% Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 27.7 pg/cell Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 32% g/dL Mean corpuscular volume 84 μm3 Serum total bilirubin 4.2 mg/dL Serum direct bilirubin 0.3 mg/dL Coombs test Negative Peripheral smear shows polychromasia, blister cells, and Heinz bodies. An abdominal ultrasonogram shows the presence of gallstones. Which of the following tests is most likely to be useful in diagnosing this patient?

A 38-year-old woman presents to a physician’s office for progressive weakness and pallor during the last few weeks. She also complains of shortness of breath during her yoga class. She denies fevers, cough, rhinorrhea, or changes in appetite or bowel and bladder habits. She is generally healthy except for an occasional migraine, which is relieved by acetaminophen. For the last month, she has been having more frequent migraine attacks and was started on prophylactic aspirin. The vital signs include: pulse 102/min, respirations 18/min, and blood pressure 130/84 mm Hg. Her blood pressure on previous visits has been 110/76 mm Hg, 120/78 mm Hg, and 114/80 mm Hg. The physical examination is otherwise unremarkable. Stool for occult blood is positive. In addition to a low hemoglobin concentration, which other laboratory finding is expected in this patient?