dpd Flashcards
A 59 y/o man presents w/ exertional chest pain. He has long standing HTN and has a normal ECG. O/E: Frank’s sign. What is the most likely diagnosis?
- Coronary artery stenosis
- Musculoskeletal
- Pericarditis
- Relapsing polychrondritis
- Vasculitis
coronary artery stenosis - exertional CP
- franks sign = diagonal crease in ear lobe extending from tragus across lobule to rear edge of auricle and is assoc with IHD
- indicates CVD +/or diabetes
What can be seen in a UMN lesion e.g. brain tumour, specifically regarding the tone, power + reflex?
Increased tone = spasticity - reduced central descending inhibition
Increased reflexes = brisk + upgoing plantars
Decreased power
What can be seen in a LMN lesion, specifically regarding the tone, power + reflex?
Decreased tone = flaccid
Decreased reflexes
Decreased power
An IVDU presents w/ slurred speech, dysphagia, diplopia, bilateral ptosis + has a sluggish pupillary response to light. He has descending symmetric muscle weakness + multiple skin abscesses on arms + legs. Where is the issue likely to be located anatomically?
- Brain
- Brainstem
- Spinal cord
- Nerve root
- NMJ
NMJ
Unlikely to be in the brainstem as this would mean CN 3/4/6/9/10/11 would be knocked off so he would be dead. This is likely to be a diffuse neuromuscular issue due to the diplopia and dysphagia so a NMJ issue is likely. The multiple abscesses suggests that he has run out of veins and this is an example of skin popping (injecting heroin under the skin).
Infected heroin results in causing abscess infected with Botulinum toxin - this inhibits ACh release hence NMJ issue
Name 5 cerebellar signs to do with coordination.
Dysdiadochokinesia = rapidly alternating movements
Ataxia = uncoordinated movements
Nystagmus
Intention tremor = dysmetria + past pointing on finger-nose test
Slurred, scanning speech
Hypotonia
What can cause a cerebellar lesion? (x 5)
Remember V, 2 I's and 2 T's Vascular - Bleed Infection - TB, VZV, cerebellitis Inflammation - MS Tumour - Primary, secondary mets Toxin - alcohol, phenytoin
A pt presents w/ a hemisensory loss, where is the damage likely to be?
- Cerebral cortex
- Spinal cord
- Nerve roots
- Mononeuropathy
- Polyneuropathy
Cerebral cortex
Hemisensory loss = different between L and R side
A pt presents w/ a sensory loss around the umbilicus. Where is the damage likely to be?
- Cerebral cortex
- Spinal cord
- Nerve roots
- Mononeuropathy
- Polyneuropathy
Spinal cord - the distribution loss is at the same level i.e. difference at particular level
A pt presents w/ sensory loss in the lateral side of their outer thigh. Where is the damage likely to be?
- Cerebral cortex
- Spinal cord
- Nerve roots
- Mononeuropathy
- Polyneuropathy
Nerve roots (radiculopathy) as it is a dermatomal distribution
A pt presents w/ sensory loss of their lateral three fingers in the right hand. Where is the damage likely to be?
- Cerebral cortex
- Spinal cord
- Nerve roots
- Mononeuropathy
- Polyneuropathy
Mononeuropathy - specific area e.g. median nerve in CTS
A diabetic pt presents w/ sensory loss in their feet and fingers. Where is the damage likely to be?
- Cerebral cortex
- Spinal cord
- Nerve roots
- Mononeuropathy
- Polyneuropathy
Polyneuropathy - glove + stocking distribution e.g. diabetic neuropathy
A 55 y/o man presents w/ numbness + tingling in hands and feet. PMHx: T1DM. DHx: On basal/bolus insulin. Ix: HbA1c 50 mmol/mol; B12: 500 PG/ML (200-900); eGFR: 90. There is decreased sensation to peripheries (glove + stocking distribution). What would you prescribe?
- Codeine
- Duloxetine
- Hydroxocobalamin
- Paracetamol
- Pregabalin
Pregabalin for peripheral neuropathy
What are the causes of peripheral neuropathy? (x 6 broad categories)
- INFECTION e.g. HIV
- INFLAMMATION/Autoimmune e.g. Guillian Barre syndrome (= ACUTE inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy assoc. w/ campylobacter jejuni infection); chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; CTD; Vasculitis
- TOXIN e.g. alcohol, cisplatin, amiodarone, metronidazole etc
- METABOLIC e.g. diabetes, B12 deficiency, amyloidosis, chronic kidney disease
- HEREDITARY e.g. hereditary sensory motor neuropathy - pes cavus due to long standing peripheral neuropathy.eg Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
What Ix would you do if you suspected alcohol was the cause of peripheral neuropathy?
Hx
Raised GGT
Low platelets
Raised MCV
What Ix would you do if you suspected B12 deficiency was the cause of peripheral neuropathy?
FBC to look for anaemia
increased MCV - macrocytic anaemia
serum B12
define amyloidosis
deposition of abnormal protein = amyloid, in various organs that affect the normal function, these abn proteins hv precursors
what are 2 types of amyloidosis
- AL amyloidosis (light chain)/primary- most common type in dev countries
- no other disease is causing it
2.AA amyloidosis/secondary - due to chronic infection or inflammation - serum amyloid A is an inflammatory protein
.A 34 y/o woman presents w/ weakness in the legs + blurred vision. She has increased tone + hyperreflexia but decreased power and pinprick sensation in the legs. Fundoscopy shows an ill-defined optic disc. What is the cause of her blurred vision?
- Amaurosis fugax
- Anterior uveitis
- Papilloedema
- Papillitis
- Vitreous haemorrhage
papillitis = optic neuritis = inflammation of head of optic nerve
This is associated w/ pain on eye movements + blurred vision + demyelination e.g. multiple sclerosis.
Papilloedema also has a blurred optic disc on fundoscopy but is due to increased ICP + is not painful
Her weak legs suggests lesions affecting the spinal root - spastic paraparesis = increased tone w/ weak legs
What would a lesion in the corticospinal tract cause?
Weakness, hyperreflexia + upgoing plantars - the descending motor pathway is in the corticospinal tract so a lesion would result in weakness. These pathways are inhibitory therefore lesion results in increased brisk reflexes + upgoing plantars
What would a lesion in the spinothalamic tract cause?
Loss of sensation to a level.
The spinothalamic tract is the ascending sensory tract therefore a lesion would result in loss of sensation
Give examples of pathology of the spinal cord (x 4 main ones)
- Spinal cord compression
- Vascular e.g. defect of anterior spinal artery
- Infection e.g. Pott’s disease (TB of the spine)
- Inflammation (demyelination) e.g. transverse myelitis = inflammation of spinal cord assoc. w/ mycoplasma pneumonia
Other causes include:
- Toxic/metabolic: subacute combined demyelination of the spinal cord
- Tumour/malignancy: primary or secondary spinal metastasis/spinal cord tumour