Corrections - Respiratory Flashcards
When should you admit children with croup to hospital?
1) moderate or severe croup
2) <3 months of age
3) known upper airway abnormalities (e.g. Laryngomalacia, Down’s syndrome)
Easily audible stridor at rest is a clinical sign of what severity of croup?
Moderate severity -> admit to hospital
Is the characteristic ‘whoop’ always present in pertussis?
No - can be absent
What class of medication is etanercept?
TNF-inhibitor
What is a key side effect of TNF-inhibitors?
Reactivation of TB
For the following conditions, what is the pathogen?
1) Bronchiolitis
2) Croup
3) Common cold
4) Flu
5) The most common cause of CAP
6) Most common cause of bronchiectasis exacerbations
7) Acute epiglottitis
8) Pneumonia following influenza
1) RSV
2) Parainfluenza virus
3) Rhinovirus
4) Influenza
5) Strep. pneumoniae
6) H. influenzae
7) H. influenzae
8) Staph. aureus
What is the most appropriate way to confirm a diagnosis of pertussis?
Per nasal swab (involves taking a sample from the back of the nose and throat through the nose).
1st line for whooping cough if the onset of cough is within the previous 21 days?
Oral macrolide
What is the treatment for LATENT TB?
3 months of isoniazid (with pyridoxine) + rifampicin
OR
6 months of isoniazid (with pyridoxine)
What is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in children?
Respiratory causes that lead to hypoxia
What is an aspergilloma?
A fungal mass that is found in pre-formed body cavities.
What is an aspergilloma usually 2ary to?
TB
What is a characteristic CXR finding in aspergilloma?
The air crescent sign (where a crescent of air that surrounds a radiopaque mass present in a lung cavity is visible).
What is pyoderma grangrenosum?
A rare, non-infectious, inflammatory disorder.
Causes very painful skin ulceration (lower legs are most commonly affected).
Causes of pyoderma gangrenosum?
1) idiopathic (50%)
2) IBD
3) RA
4) primary biliary cirrhosis
What are the 4 commonest causes of an anterior mediastinal mass?
(4 T’s)
T - teratoma
T - terrible lymphadenopathy
T - thymic mass
T - thyroid mass
What antibodies are found in myasthenia gravis?
Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies
What is the commonest cause of stridor in neonates?
laryngomalacia (a congenital abnormality of the larynx)
What is the most common causative organism of discitis?
Staph. aureus
Following a splenectomy, what 4 infections are patients particularly at risk from?
1) Pneumococcus
2) Haemophilus
3) Meningococcus
4) Capnocytophaga canimorsus (usually from dog bites)
What vaccinations are offered after a splenectomy?
1) annual influenza
2) pneumococcal every 5 years
3) Hib, meningitis A & C
What is the prophylactic Abx of choice following a splenectomy?
Penicillin V
Which infection does prophylactic Pencillin V NOT protect the patient from following a splenectomy?
Haemophilus influenzae (due to the production of beta-lactamases by the organism).
But it DOES protect against Strep. pneumoniae.
What is the gold standard investigation for assessing drug sensitivities in TB?
Sputum culture
What are the 3 most common organisms causing post-splenectomy sepsis?
1) Strep. pneumoniae
2) H. influenzae
3) Meningococci
What type of organisms carry the greatest pathogenic risk following splenectomy?
Encapsulated organisms
What is toxoplasmosis?
An opportunistic infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is found in the faeces of infected cats, and in infected meat.
Where is Toxoplasma gondii found?
In the faeces of infected cats, and in infected meat.
What inefction accounts for around 50% of cerebral lesions in patients with HIV?
Toxoplasmosis
In bronchiolitis, what management step does the presence of grunting indicate?
Immediate referral to hospital -> indicates severe respiratory distress.
Which type of pneumonia can cause deranted LFTs?
Legionella
In which 2 respiratory conditions should you AVOID examining the throat due to the risk of precipitating airway obstruction?
1) Croup
2) Epiglottitis
Is a throat exam contraindicated in whooping cough?
No
What can acute toxoplasmosis in the immunocompetent patient mimic?
EBV infection: low grade fever, generalised lymphadenopathy with prominent cervical lymph nodes and malaise.
What investigation is paramount in females with toxoplasmosis?
Pregnancy test & counselling (due to the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis).
What is kyphoscoliosis?
What condition can it be seen in?
A deviation of the normal curvature of the spine.
Can be seen in ankylosing spondylitis.
How can kyphoscoliosis affect the lungs?
Can cause a restrictive lung deficit
What is the most common cause of Addison’s disease in industrialised nations?
Autoimmune disease (i.e. autoimmune adrenalitis)
WHat is the most common cause of Addison’s disease worldwide?
TB
Is coal worker’s pneumoconiosis associated with upper or lower zone lung fibrosis?
Upper
Is silicosis associated with upper or lower zone lung fibrosis?
Upper
What is the most common neurological infection seen in HIV?
Cerebral toxoplasmosis
What does a CT scan show in cerebral toxoplasmosis?
multiple brain lesions with ring enhancement
What is the recommended treatment for mild-moderate croup?
A single stat dose of oral dexamethasone (0.15mg/kg)
What is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)?
A condition characterised by a hypersensitivity response to the fungus aspergillus.
Patients may live in damp buildings where fungal spores may grow and be inhaled. They can also be found in soil, compost, plants, and air conditioning systems.
Who is ABPA most common in?
People with asthma or COPD
Describe the drug regime for active TB
Rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol for 2 months.
Followed by a continuation phase with rifampicin and isoniazid for an additional 4 months.
Which TB drug can cause acute interstitial nephritis?
Rifampicin
Role of macrolides in the management of pertussis?
Have not been shown to alter the course of the illness, but can reduce the risk of spread.
Which type of test is non-specific for mycobacterium (i.e. detecting all species)?
Acid-Fast bacilli (AFB) smear
Which organism causing meningitis does the India ink stain on CSF analysis point towards?
Cryptococcus neoformans