Investigations 2 Flashcards
First line & diagnosis of COPD is done by ?
Spirometry
Post bronchodilator spirometry. This should be carried out 15-20 mins after the person has had a SABA.
What values would indicate airflow obstruction?
A FEV1/FVC of <0.7
Go over the grading of airflow obstruction
Stage 1: Mild
FEV1 80% of predicted value
Stage 2: Moderate
FEV1 50-79% predicted value
Stage 3:Severe
FEV1 30-49% predicted value
Stage 4:Very severe
FEV1 <30% of predicted value
or
FEV1 <50% of predicted value with respiratory failure
When reading an ABG, how do you know if there is respiratory failure ? Talk through the steps
- First check pH. If its low= acidosis and if high = alkalosis
- Then find out if its respiratory or metabolic.
- if respiratory the pH and co2 will be opposite e.g one low and the other high
- if its metabolic the pH and o2 will be the same e.g both high
- Is it compensated?
- If Bicarb or BE is out of range Bicarb:<22 or >26// BE: -2 or +2 then its UNcompensated
What is Apical shadowing on CXR? (7 things)
An observation on a CXR that can be considered an abnormal finding. It has many possible causes such as:
- Hiatial hernia
- Pneumonia
- Pleural effusion
- Pulmonary oedema
- Malignancy
- Sarcoidosis
- Pneumothorax
What would you find on a Macroscopic examination of the lungs in patients with asthma? (3 things)
- Overdistended lungs
- Small areas of atelectasis
(a collapse of one or more areas in the lung) - Thick mucus plugs in proximal bronchi containing whorls of shed epithelium
What microscopic finding may you see in the sputum of an asthmatic patient ?
Curschmann spirals
What is a common side effect of TB drugs ?
Peripheral neuropathy
What are some causes of acute bilateral alveolar opacities on a CXR? (5 things)
- Infection
- Fluid
- Blood
- ARDS
- Embolism
What causes hyaline membrane formation’ in the lungs?
The accumulation of dead cells/ proteins
What would decrease the risk of a overdistension of the lungs in a patient with ARDS that is on mechanical ventilation?
A low tidal volume
What is Lofgren’s syndrome ? What are the main symtpoms?
An acute subset of sarcoidosis in Scandinavian patients.
Characterised by:
- Erythema nordosum
- Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy
- Polyarthralgia (pain in several joints)
- or Polyarthritis (any type of arthritis that affects >5 joints)
What condition causes muddy brown casts on urinalysis? and what causes this condition?
Acute tubular necrosis (ATN)
- This is where the kidney’s tubules become damaged which can lead to an AKI.
Causes of ATN include:
- Nephrotoxic drugs
- Renal ischaemia
- Sepsis
What is the triad of symptoms you would expect to see in nephrotic syndrome ? What would you expect to see on the pathology report of the kidney biopsy?
Triad:
- Oedema
- Proteinuria
- Hypoalbuminaemia
Biopsy:
- Sclerosis in some glomeruli
- This is scarring or hardening of the glomeruli = the glomeruli cannot function adequately.
What is the triad of symptoms you would expect to see in nephrotic syndrome ? What would you expect to see on the pathology report of the kidney biopsy?
Triad:
- Oedema
- Proteinuria
- Hypoalbuminaemia
Biopsy:
- Sclerosis in some glomeruli
- This is scarring or hardening of the glomeruli = the glomeruli cannot function adequately.
What finding on abdominal CT would you find in turners syndrome?
Horse shoe kidney (they are connected like a horse shoe)
What condition are kimmelstiel-wilson nodules the the pathognomonic finding for?
Diabetic nephropathy
What is the first treatment for diabetic nephropathy ?
ACEi