Rheumatology and Immunology Quiz

A common cause of travel-related diarrhea, characterized by watery or brown/green stools, often with no fever.

A bacterial infection often caused by consuming poultry, resulting in bloody diarrhea.

A bacterial infection that can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal distention, and fever.

A life-threatening complication of C. diff infection, characterized by severe abdominal distention and fever.

A protozoal infection commonly acquired through contaminated water or food, causing bloody diarrhea.

A viral infection that spreads rapidly in close quarters, often associated with cruise ships or military barracks.

A syndrome characterized by hypotension, muffled heart sounds, and distended neck veins, often caused by pericardial effusion.

A serious cardiac condition where fluid buildup in the pericardial sac restricts heart function.

A condition characterized by the presence of a circular lesion within the pancreas, often observed in individuals with pancreatitis.

A type of emphysema characterized by the destruction of lung tissue primarily in the center of the acinus (the smallest functional unit of the lung).

A type of emphysema characterized by the destruction of lung tissue throughout the entire acinus.

A condition where a person has emphysema, is a young non-smoker, and has a family history of liver cirrhosis. This is a strong indication of a genetic deficiency.

A group of autoimmune disorders affecting connective tissue, characterized by the potential for pulmonary fibrosis, which can lead to pulmonary hypertension.

The most common form of arthritis, characterized by the breakdown of cartilage in joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling. Risk factors include obesity, age, genetics, and overuse.

A condition that causes inflammation of joints, primarily due to an autoimmune response. It can affect multiple joints, causing stiffness, pain, swelling, and decreased range of motion.

A rare, but serious, infection of a joint, usually caused by bacteria. It can be caused by trauma, surgery, or underlying conditions like RA or OA. Symptoms include redness, warmth, pain, swelling, and fever.

A chronic autoimmune disease that can affect various organs and systems. Its most common manifestation is arthritis, but it can also cause skin rashes, lupus nephritis, and other complications.

Inflammation of the joints, mainly found in the knees, ankles, and wrists. It's caused by the build-up of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joints. Symptoms are often similar to gout, but typically affect larger joints.

The main drug used for early RA treatment. It works by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase, which is important for DNA synthesis.

A common side effect of Methotrexate, which can cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs.

The hallmark antibody found in patients with RA, but not in patients with OA. It is highly specific for RA diagnosis.

A type of lupus nephritis, characterized by a wire looping capillary pattern in the glomeruli, causing red urine.

A drug-induced form of lupus, often caused by medications like hydralazine, procainamide, and minocycline. It is characterized by the presence of anti-histone antibodies.

A condition where the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells due to a viral infection, leading to low platelet count, red blood cell, and white blood cell levels.

An autoimmune disorder characterized by low platelet counts due to the formation of antibodies against platelets. It can cause easy bruising and spontaneous bleeding.

A common genetic disorder affecting red blood cells, causing them to be abnormally small and spherical. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait.

A bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in von Willebrand factor (vWF), a protein that helps platelets stick together and to the blood vessel walls.

An X-linked recessive genetic disorder that causes a deficiency in clotting factor VIII, leading to prolonged bleeding and easy bruising. It is also called classic hemophilia.

Epithelioid macrophages in sarcoidosis activate vitamin D3 by producing 1-alpha hydroxylase, leading to increased gut calcium absorption and decreased fecal calcium excretion.

The most effective way to decrease asthma exacerbations is with oral corticosteroids, although they are not necessarily the next best step in treatment.

Goodpasture syndrome is characterized by hematuria and hemoptysis due to anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies.

A protein that bridges platelet GpIb to underlying collagen, facilitating platelet adhesion but not aggregation.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibodies are the hallmark of Goodpasture syndrome, with a confirmatory diagnosis made by renal biopsy.

vWF also plays a role in stabilizing factor VIII in plasma, explaining why aPTT is only moderately increased in vWD.

Wegener's granulomatosis, now known as granulomatosis with polyangiitis, presents with hematuria, hemoptysis, and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (e.g., sinusitis, mastoiditis).

C-ANCA (anti-PR3) is the characteristic antibody associated with Wegener's granulomatosis.

Both platelet and clotting factor problems are present in Von Willebrand Disease (vWD).

vWD primarily presents with mild, cutaneous bleeding such as epistaxis, bruising, and petechiae.

Churg-Strauss syndrome, now called eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, is characterized by asthma, eosinophilia, and vasculitis.

p-ANCA (anti-MPO) is the distinctive antibody associated with Churg-Strauss syndrome.

vWD can also manifest as menorrhagia, excessive bleeding after tooth extraction, and rarely hemarthrosis.

Microscopic polyangiitis, characterized by isolated hematuria and the presence of p-ANCA in serum, can lead to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.

Desmopressin, which increases the release of vWF, is a common treatment for vWD.

Vitamin K deficiency is characterized by increased PT and aPTT levels, while bleeding time remains normal.

Gallstone pancreatitis (choledocholithiasis) is characterized by elevated ALP, direct bilirubin, and amylase/lipase. It is commonly caused by a stone in the common bile duct.

Chronic antibiotic use in adults can disrupt colonic flora, leading to vitamin K deficiency.

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, a possible cause of elevated ALP, direct bilirubin, and amylase/lipase, can occur in individuals with a history of cholecystectomy.

Choledocholithiasis can also occur after cholecystectomy if a retained stone in the cystic duct descends into the common bile duct, but not to the pancreatic duct entry point.

Pancreatic cancer is a possible cause of elevated ALP, direct bilirubin, and normal amylase/lipase in patients with a remote cholecystectomy history. CT scan with contrast can help diagnose this.

Cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer of the bile ducts, is another possibility in patients with elevated ALP, direct bilirubin, and normal amylase/lipase, particularly when CT scan is negative.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is indicated by elevated ALP, direct bilirubin, pruritis, high cholesterol, and often accompanied by autoimmune disease. Anti-mitochondrial antibodies suggest PBC, and liver biopsy confirms the diagnosis.