Internal medicine - Clinical immunology Flashcards
INT - 14.1
Which is NOT a side-effect of chronic steroid therapy?
A) Hypertension
B) Myopathy
C) Hyperpotassemia
D) Cataract
E) Glaucoma
ANSWER
C) Hyperpotassemia
EXPLANATION
During chronic steroid therapy hypopotassemia develops (with hypernatremia), which needs potassium supplement.
INT - 14.2
Which autoantibody is NOT specific for poly-dermatomyositis?
A) Anti-Ku
B) Anti-Mi2
C) Anti-SRP
D) Anti-Sm
E) Anti-Jo1
ANSWER
D) Anti-Sm
EXPLANATION
Anti Sm (anti Smith) antibody is mostly associated with SLE, not with inflammatory muscle diseases. The other autoantibodies can be observed in myositis.
INT - 14.3
Which immunosuppressive agent MAY NOT be used for SLE therapy?
A) Cyclophosphamide
B) Methotrexate
C) Belimumab
D) Adalimumab
E) Azathioprine
ANSWER
D) Adalimumab
EXPLANATION
Adalimumab is a TNF-alpha inhibitor. Anti TNF agents can cause SLE, therefore they are contraindicated in SLE. The other agents can be used in the therapy of SLE.
INT - 14.4
Which is NOT a complication of systemic sclerosis?
A) Diffuse pulmonary fibrosis
B) Honeydew melon stomach
C) Esophageal stricture
D) Pulmonary hypertension
E) Fingertip-ulcer
ANSWER
B) Honeydew melon stomach
EXPLANATION
It is a funny answer: it is obviously watermelon-stomach…
INT - 14.5
Which is NOT an ANCA-associated vasculitis?
A) Polyarteritis nodosa
B) Churg-Strauss syndrome
C) Granulomatous vasculitis
D) Microscopic polyangiitis
E) Wegener granulomatosis
ANSWER
A) Polyarteritis nodosa
EXPLANATION
Polyarteritis nodosa is usually ANCA-negative, the others are ANCA-associated. Granulomatous vasculitis and Wegener-granulomatosis are two names of the same disease.
INT - 14.6
Which antibody is specific for Antiphospholipid syndrome?
A) Anti-apexin V.
B) Anti-beta2-microglobulin I.
C) Anti-beta2-glycoprotein I
D) Anti-cardiotliptin
E) Anti-lupus anticoagulant
ANSWER
C) Anti-beta2-glycoprotein I
EXPLANATION
Among many similar-sounding antibodies beta-2 glycoprotein I is the correct. It is a cofactor of cardiolipin, autoantibodies are formed against it. There is anti-annexin V, but there is no anti-apexin V, and cardiotliptin is an obviously mistake, too.
INT - 14.7
Which autoantibody is specific for MCTD?
A) Anti-PM-Scl
B) Anti-U1 RNP
C) ANCA
D) Anti-SS-A
E) Anti-dsDNA
ANSWER
B) Anti-U1 RNP
EXPLANATION
Anti-U1-RNP is the most specific (near 100%) autoantibody of MCTD with a diagnostic value. Others can occur too in a small number of MCTD patients, but they are not specific.
INT - 14.8
Which is true about immunofluorescent staining of antinuclear antibody?
A) The staining is nucleolar in SLE
B) The staining is homogenous in MCTD
C) The staining is nucleolar in systemic sclerosis
D) The staining is homogenous in RA
E) The staining is against centromer in myositis
ANSWER
C) The staining is nucleolar in systemic sclerosis
EXPLANATION
In systemic sclerosis, truly nucleolar ANA staining is specific. ANA staining in SLE is usually homogenous, in MCTD is granular or nucleolar, in RA is mixed. Centromere staining is typical in scleroderma.
INT - 14.10
Which statement is NOT typical in systemic autoimmune diseases?
A) Familiar aggregation
B) Sometimes medicines or chemicals can trigger them
C) Antinuclear autoantibodies are frequent
D) Males are affected mainly
E) The disease can worsen or improve during pregnancy
ANSWER
D) Males are affected mainly
EXPLANATION
Systemic autoimmune diseases mostly occur in women. Family aggregation is typical, medicines (e.g. SLE) or chemicals (e.g. systemic sclerosis) can trigger them, any kind of ANA can be detected in almost all of them and during pregnancy they can worsen (e.g. SLE) or improve (e.g. RA).
INT - 14.11
Which genetic constellation is typical in autoimmune diseases?
A) HLA-DQ2-DR4
B) HLA-A1-B8-DR3
C) HLA-A8-B27-DR4
D) HLA-B7-B27-DR3
E) HLA-A1-B7-DR4
ANSWER
B) HLA-A1-B8-DR3
EXPLANATION
The HLA-A1-B8-DR3 genetic constellation is typical in many autoimmune diseases. DQ2 is typical in celiac disease, B27 in spondylarthropathies, B7 in psoriasis.
INT - 14.12
Which of the following is the most frequently occurring systemic autoimmune disease?
A) SLE
B) Polymyositis
C) Systemic sclerosis
D) MCTD
E) Sjögren’s syndrome
ANSWER
E) Sjögren’s syndrome
EXPLANATION
Prevalence of Sjögren syndrome can approach 0,5-1%, the others are much less common.
INT - 14.13
Which autoimmune disease is NOT commonly associated with B-cell lymphoma?
A) SLE
B) Systemic sclerosis
C) Rheumatoid arthritis
D) Polymyositis
E) Sjögren’s syndrome
ANSWER
D) Polymyositis
EXPLANATION
Polymyositis is mostly T-cell mediated, B-cell lymphomas are not more common associated with it. Secondary tumors are associated rather with dermatomyositis. In the other diseases B-cell stimulation is typical, which causes an increased risk of B-cell hematologic tumor development.
INT - 14.14
Which is NOT a symptom of antiphospholipid syndrome?
A) Habitual abortion
B) Frequent migraine
C) Thrombocytosis
D) Increased risk of thromboembolism
E) Livedo reticularis
ANSWER
C) Thrombocytosis
EXPLANATION
In case of antiphospholipid syndrome there is thrombocytopenia despite the recurrent thrombosis. Migraine is rare, but typical.
INT - 14.15
Which medicine DO NOT causes SLE?
A) Etanercept
B) Procainamide
C) Infliximab
D) Hydralazine
E) Rituximab
ANSWER
E) Rituximab
EXPLANATION
Rituximab is a B-cell inhibitor which doesn’t cause SLE, moreover in off-label indication it can be appropriate for the therapy of certain SLE cases. Etanercept and infliximab are TNF inhibitors, they can cause SLE. Procainamide and hydralazine are classic triggers of drug-induced lupus.
INT - 14.16
In what percent of patients with undifferentiated autoimmune diseases (NDC) develops definitive autoimmune disease?
A) 5-10 %
B) 15-20 %
C) 30-40 %
D) 50-60 %
E) 70-80 %
ANSWER
D) 50-60 %
EXPLANATION
Half or two-thirds of NDC cases transform into definitive disease, in 10-15 % the symptoms regress, in 30-35% the NDC stadium is long-lasting (more than 5 years).
INT - 14.17
In which case can be NDC diagnosed?
A) In the presence of three typical clinical symptoms
B) In the presence of one typical clinical symptom and two autoantibody positivity’s
C) In the presence of two clinical symptoms and two autoantibodies
D) In the presence of two clinical symptoms and one autoantibody
E) In the presence of one clinical symptom and three typical autoantibodies
ANSWER
D) In the presence of two clinical symptoms and one autoantibody
EXPLANATION
There must be two of the typical autoimmune clinical symptoms (polyarthritis, sicca symptom, Raynaud phenomenon etc.) and an immune serology positivity (e.g. ANA) must be associated with them.