Endocrine Questions Flashcards
A 4-year-old child is brought to the pediatrician with a history of abdominal distension. Upon examination, the physician notes hepatosplenomegaly (enlarged liver and spleen). The parents mention that the child has been experiencing some developmental delays and clumsiness when walking or holding objects.
Question: Which examination finding, mentioned in the case, most strongly suggests a lysosomal storage disease?
Answer:** C) Organomegaly
Explanation: Organomegaly, particularly hepatosplenomegaly, is a key examination finding that may suggest lysosomal storage diseases, such as Gaucher disease, Niemann-Pick disease, or Hurler syndrome. These diseases result from defects in the degradation of certain macromolecules, leading to their accumulation in the liver, spleen, and other organs. The other symptoms, such as clumsiness and developmental delay, might also support this suspicion.
A 2-year-old girl was recently switched to a high-protein diet as advised by a nutritionist. A few weeks after the dietary change, she begins to exhibit crying spells, irritability, and lack of interest in playing, followed by episodes of vomiting and changes in her behavior, such as lethargy and confusion.
Question: What symptom, associated with the change in diet, might suggest an inborn error of metabolism (IEM)?
C) Neurological Symptoms
Explanation: The new onset of neurological symptoms, particularly following a dietary change, suggests a possible inborn error of metabolism, such as a urea cycle disorder or an amino acid metabolism disorder (e.g., phenylketonuria or maple syrup urine disease). These conditions can lead to the accumulation of toxic metabolites that affect brain function, especially when triggered by dietary changes that increase the metabolic load.
Case:** In a routine exam, a 9-month-old infant presents with poor feeding and has not been gaining weight as expected. The doctor orders a urinalysis, which reveals the presence of reducing substances in the urine.
Question: For infants suspected of having an IEM, how might the identification of substances in the urine guide diagnosis?
Answer:** B) Reducing substances
Explanation: The presence of reducing substances in urine may indicate a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, such as galactosemia, where galactose or its metabolites are excreted in the urine. This finding can guide further diagnostic testing and help in the management of inborn errors of metabolism by identifying specific metabolic pathways that are impaired.
A 4-year-old child with hepatosplenomegaly might have which of the following disorders?**
- A) Cystic Fibrosis
- B) Lysosomal Storage Disease
- C) Iron Deficiency Anemia
- D) Type 1 Diabetes
Answer:** B) Lysosomal Storage Disease
Which symptom is least likely to be directly associated with a lysosomal storage disease?**
- A) Organomegaly
- B) Developmental delays
- C) Clumsiness
- D) High blood pressure
Answer:** D) High blood pressure
the accumulation of what type of molecules typically characterizes lysosomal storage diseases?**
- A) Hormones
- B) Lipids or Carbohydrates
- C) Proteins
- D) Nucleic acids
Answer:** B) Lipids or Carbohydrates
Which of these is a common diagnostic test for detecting lysosomal storage disease?**
- A) Complete blood count
- B) Urinary catheterization
- C) Enzyme assay
- D) Electrocardiogram (ECG)
*Answer:** C) Enzyme assay
In Gaucher disease, which organ is most likely enlarged?**
- A) Pancreas
- B) Kidney
- C) Liver
- D) Heart
- Answer: C) Liver
What condition may be suggested by neurological symptoms following a dietary change to high-protein intake?**
- A) Urea cycle disorder
- B) Lactose intolerance
- C) Vitamin D deficiency
- D) Iron overload
*Answer:** A) Urea cycle disorder
Which is NOT a common symptom indicating a urea cycle disorder?**
- A) Vomiting
- B) Hyperactivity
- C) Lethargy
- D) Confusion
Answer: B) Hyperactivity
Which is NOT a dietary trigger for symptoms in urea cycle disorders?**
- A) High protein diet
- B) High-fat diet
- C) Fasting
- D) Fever
*Answer:** B) High-fat diet
Phenylketonuria is managed by controlling levels of which amino acid?**
- A) Lysine
- B) Methionine
- C) Phenylalanine
- D) Valine
Answer: C) Phenylalanine
Before adjustments to diet, the presence of neurological abnormalities in this context might signify an issue with what kind of metabolism?**
- A) Fat metabolism
- B) Protein metabolism
- C) Carbohydrate metabolism
- D) Mineral metabolism
Answer:** B) Protein metabolism
Which condition is most specifically suggested by reducing substances found in an infant’s urine?**
- A) Galactosemia
- B) Hemochromatosis
- C) Type 1 diabetes
- D) Celiac disease
- Answer: A) Galactosemia
*What is a common method used to detect reducing substances in urine?**
- A) Benedict’s test
- B) MRI scan
- C) SPECT scan
- D) Thyroid function test
Answer: A) Benedict’s test
Galactosemia primarily affects the metabolism of which dietary component?**
- A) Fructose
- B) Sucrose
- C) Galactose
- D) Glucose
- Answer: C) Galactose
What dietary change helps manage galactosemia?**
- A) Low-salt diet
- B) Gluten-free diet
- C) Galactose and lactose restriction
- D) High-protein diet
*Answer:** C) Galactose and lactose restriction
Which is NOT a symptom typically associated with untreated galactosemia?**
- A) Jaundice
- B) Cataracts
- C) Increased appetite
- D) Hepatomegaly
- Answer: C) Increased appetite