MKSAP Board Basics Pulmonology Flashcards
What FEV1/FVC ratio indicates airflow obstruction?
Less than 0.7 (70%)
What increase in FEV1 with bronchodilator therapy indicates reversible airway obstruction?
12% or more
What increase in FVC with bronchodilator therapy indicates reversible airway obstruction?
12% or more
What volume (mL) increase in FEV1 with bronchodilator therapy indicates reversible airway obstruction?
200 mL or more
What volume (mL) increase in FVC with bronchodilator therapy indicates reversible airway obstruction?
200 mL or more
What is the role of flow-volume loops in obstructive lung disease?
Help localize anatomic sites of airway obstruction.
What TLC indicates restrictive lung disease?
Less than 80%
If patients have a normal DLCO and low lung volumes - what is the most likely cause?
Extra-pulmonary cause such as obesity
If patients have a low DLCO and low lung volumes - what is the most likely cause?
Pulmonary fibrosis
If patients have a low DLCO and normal lung volumes - what are the most likely causes?
- Anemia
- Pulmonary vascular disease
If patients have a low DLCO and FEV1/FVC of less than 0.7 - what are the most likely causes?
COPD
Bronchiectasis
If patients have a normal or high DLCO and FEV1/FVC of less than 0.7 - what is the most likely cause?
Asthma
What are causes of high DLCO?
Pulmonary hemorrhage
Left-to-right shunt
Polycythemia
Measures percentage of oxyhemoglobin; performed at rest or during exercise.
What test is this?
Pulse oximetry
What should you use when carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected?
Co-oximetry
Airflow is measured before and after challenge.
What test is this?
Bronchial (methacholine) challenge testing
Performed for unexplained dyspnea, symptoms disproportionate to the measured pulmonary function abnormality, and other exercise-related symptoms.
What test/investigation is described?
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Useful to assess disability, need for supplemental oxygen, and prognosis in chronic lung conditions. Simple oximetry and desaturation studies are performed at rest and with exertion.
What test is this?
6-minute walk test
Is exhaled nitric oxide increased or decreased in patients with airway inflammation, including asthma?
Increased
Is pulse oximetry increased, normal or decreased after carbon monoxide poisoning?
Normal
Is pulse oximetry increased, normal or decreased after cyanide poisoning?
Normal
What happens to pulse oximetry reading in patients with shock?
It is falsely low.
What should you think of with any cough that is nocturnal, seasonal, or related to a workplace or activity?
Asthma
What are the nasal polyps and aspirin sensitivity are associated with?
Asthma
Does normal spirometry rule out asthma?
No
Does a normal bronchoprovocation test rule out asthma?
Yes
What does a positive bronchoprovocation test confirm?
Airway hyperresponsiveness
(asthma is only one cause)
Is wheezing diagnostic of asthma?
No
What should you consider in patients that are wheezing?
- Asthma
- Heart failure
- COPD
- Vocal cord dysfunction
- Upper airway obstruction
Patient has striking peripheral blood eosinophilia, fever, and weight loss and is a long-term smoker. Chest x-ray shows “photographic-negative” pulmonary edema (peripheral pulmonary edema). Bronchoscopy with biopsy or bronchoalveolar lavage shows a high eosinophil count.
Diagnosis?
Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia
Patient has asthma like picture with eosinophilia, markedly high serum IgE levels, and intermittent pulmonary infiltrates. CXR shows radiographic opacities in the upper lobes. Advanced disease can cause fixed obstruction and bronchiectasis.
Diagnosis?
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
How is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis diagnosed?
- Positive skin test for Aspergillus
- IgG and IgE antibodies to Aspergillus
Patient has upper airway and sinus disease that precedes difficult-to-treat asthma. There are flares associated with use of leukotriene inhibitors and glucocorticoid tapers. Serum p-ANCA may be elevated, and eosinophilic tissue infiltrate is noted.
Diagnosis?
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Which tests can you use to diagnose tracheal obstruction and vocal cord dysfunction?
- Direct visualization (laryngoscopy)
- Flow-volume loops
How do you classify asthma with symptoms 2 times or less per week, and nocturnal symptoms 2 times or less per month?
Intermittent
How do you classify asthma with symptoms more than 2 times per week, but less than once a day, and nocturnal symptoms more than 2 times per month?
Mild persistent
How do you classify asthma with symptoms daily, and nocturnal symptoms 1 times or more per week, and 2 or more exacerbations per week?
Moderate persistent
How do you classify asthma with continual symptoms and frequent nocturnal symptoms?
Severe persistent
What is the treatment for intermittent asthma?
As needed short acting beta agonist
What is the treatment for mild persistent asthma?
Add an inhaled corticosteroid
What is the treatment for moderate persistent asthma?
- Low to medium dose inhaled corticosteroid + long-acting beta agonist
- Medium dose of inhaled corticosteroid
- Low to medium dose of inhaled corticosteroid + leukotriene modifier or theophylline.
What is the treatment for severe persistent asthma?
High dose of inhaled corticosteroid + long-acting beta agonist or long-acting muscarinic antagonists +/- oral corticosteroids.
Are metoprolol and atenolol selective or non-selective beta blockers?
Selective beta blockers
Omalizumab can be used in moderate to severe persistent asthma with inadequate control on inhaled corticosteroids and IgE levels between ______ and _____ kU/L.
30 and 700 kU/L
Which anti-interleukin-5 monoclonal antibodies reduce asthma symptoms and are only used in severe cases of asthma when the absolute eosinophil count > 150 cells/microL?
Mepolizumab
Reslizumab
Should asthma patients get influenza vaccine?
Yes
What happens when you give fluoroquinolones or macrolides to patients taking theophylline?
Can cause theophylline toxicity
What happens if you use long-acting beta agonists as a single agent in asthma?
Increases mortality
What should you do for an acute exacerbation of asthma during pregnancy?
Treatment same as regular asthma except early addition of glucocorticoids is indicated for rapid reversal of airway obstruction during an exacerbation.
Can IV magnesium sulfate be helpful for patients who have life-threatening asthma exacerbations?
Yes
What does a normal arterial Pco2 in a patient with severe symptomatic asthma indicate?
Impending respiratory failure
What should be considered in patients with asthma signs and symptoms that improve immediately with intubation?
Vocal cord dysfunction
What should be measured in COPD patients less than 45 years of age?
Alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency
Often secondary to an inciting event, such as childhood pneumonia or TB; may be associated with foreign body,
CF, immotile ciliary syndrome, nontuberculous mycobacteria, and aspergillus colonization. Large-volume sputum production with purulent exacerbations; hemoptysis. CXR shows “tram lines”.
Diagnosis?
Bronchiectasis
Obstructive pulmonary disease is most common presentation in adult patients; other symptoms may include
recurrent respiratory infections, infertility.
Diagnosis?
Cystic fibrosis
Found in current or former smokers; may be idiopathic or associated with other diseases such as RA. Poorly responsive to bronchodilators; responds to smoking cessation and glucocorticoids.
Diagnosis?
Adult bronchiolitis
Patient presents with dyspnea without improvement following bronchodilators, normal or hyperinflated lungs on chest
x-ray; associated with injury to small airways; sometimes after lung or stem cell transplantation.
Diagnosis?
Bronchiolitis obliterans
Stridor, which may be both inspiratory and expiratory. Flow-volume loop shows expiratory or inspiratory flattening, or both.
Diagnosis?
Upper airway obstruction
What is the advantage of COPD patients stopping smoking?
It reduces the rate of decline in lung function
When is pulmonary rehabilitation recommended for COPD patients?
Symptomatic patients with FEV1 less than 50%.
Which COPD patients is continuous oxygen therapy recommended for?
- Arterial pO2 less than 55 mmHg
- Oxygen saturation less than 88%
What should you consider for patients with upper lobe emphysema (heterogeneous disease) and low baseline exercise capacity to improve mortality, exercise capacity, and quality of life?
Lung volume reduction surgery
When should augmentation therapy with IV human alpha-1 antitrypsin for patients with severe alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency be considered?
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin activity level < 11 µm
- FEV1 less than 65%
Can lung transplantation increase quality of life and functional capacity in select COPD patients?
Yes
Are PDE-4 inhibitors indicated for acute bronchospasm?
No
Is clubbing a feature of COPD?
No
What should you consider in patients with cystic fibrosis and acute abdominal pain?
Intestinal intussusception
Which vaccines do all cystic fibrosis patients need?
- Pneumococcal conjugate and polysaccharide vaccines
- Influenza vaccine
What medications do you add in acute pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis patients?
Antipseudomonal antibiotics
What do you use for suppression of chronic pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients?
Aerosolized tobramycin
What do you use for persistent airway secretions in cystic fibrosis patients?
- Aerosolized recombinant human DNase (dornase alfa)
- Hypertonic saline
What do you use for symptoms of airway obstruction in cystic fibrosis patients?
- Inhaled bronchodilators
- Glucocorticoids
What do you use for nocturnal hypoxemia or hypercarbia in cystic fibrosis patients?
Nighttime noninvasive mechanical ventilation (cPAP/BiPAP)
What do you do in cystic fibrosis patients advanced lung disease or liver disease?
Evaluation for lung transplant
A patient has flulike illness; x-ray shows focal areas of consolidation that may migrate from one location to another.
Diagnosis?
Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia
A > 50 year old patient with chronic, insidious onset of cough and dyspnea; chest x-ray shows honeycombing, bibasilar infiltrates with fibrosis.
Diagnosis?
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
What is the mortality rate of acute interstitial pneumonia?
50%
Affects women in their 30s and 40s; associated with spontaneous pneumothorax and chylous effusions. Chest CT shows cystic disease.
Diagnosis?
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
Chest x-ray shows “photographic negative” of HF, with peripheral alveolar infiltrates predominating. Other findings may include peripheral blood eosinophilia and eosinophilia on bronchoalveolar lavage.
Diagnosis?
Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia
Median age of 40 years, and males predominate among smokers but not in nonsmokers. Diagnosed via bronchoalveolar lavage, which shows abundant protein in the airspaces; chest CT shows “crazy paving” pattern.
Diagnosis?
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
Are patients with dyspnea for days or weeks (vs months) more likely to have pneumonia or heart failure than diffuse parenchymal lung disease?
Yes
What percentage of patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease have normal chest X-rays?
20%
What should you consider in patients with dyspnea and pulmonary crackles but no other findings of heart failure?
Diffuse parenchymal lung disease
What improves survival and quality of life in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?
Lung transplantation
Do pirfenidone and nintedanib demonstrate benefit in slowing disease progression for select patients with interstitial lung disease?
Yes
Is oxygen therapy indicated for interstitial lung disease patients with hypoxemia?
Yes
Should you intubate and mechanically ventilate patients
with respiratory failure caused by interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)?
No
(can’t extubate them afterwards - they’ll need a tracheostomy and lung transplant)
What is Lofgren syndrome?
Sarcoidosis with the following constellation:
- Fever
- Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy
- Erythema nodosum
- Ankle arthritis
What is a characteristic pathologic finding in sarcoidosis patients?
Non-caseating granulomatosis
Should slit-lamp examinations be done for all sarcoidosis patients?
Yes
Should an EKG be done to rule out heart block or other cardiac abnormalities in all sarcoidosis patients?
Yes
Should you always rule out TB and fungal infections by ordering appropriate stains and culture on tissue biopsy in sarcoidosis patients?
Yes
What disease that is often found in workers in light bulb or semiconductor factories may cause a sarcoidosis-like
clinical syndrome?
Berylliosis
Does ACE level confirm the diagnosis of sarcoidosis?
No
What medications are indicated for progressive or symptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis; hypercalcemia; or cardiac, ophthalmologic, or neurologic sarcoidosis?
Oral glucocorticoids
What medications are prescribed for skin lesions or anterior uveitis in sarcoidosis patients?
Topical glucocorticoids
What medications are used for nasal polyps or airway disease in sarcoidosis?
Inhaled glucocorticoids
What is the rate of spontaneous remission and resolution in Lofgren syndrome?
80%
Should you treat asymptomatic sarcoidosis?
No
How is occupational asthma and reactive airways dysfunction syndrome treated?
Inhaled glucocorticoids
What should patients with silicosis, fever and cough be evaluated for?
Tuberculosis (incidence is increased in silicosis)
What is the latent period for development of asbestosis and mesothelioma?
10 - 15 years
Does exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer in cigarette smokers?
Yes
In patients with a history of asbestos exposure or asbestosis, how can the risk of lung cancer mortality be decreased at any time?
Smoking cessation
What is the treatment for localized mesothelioma?
Surgery
How do you prevent recurrences of mesothelioma?
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
What is indicated for any new unexplained pleural effusion?
Thoracentesis
When is observation and therapy without thoracentesis reasonable for a pleural effusion?
- Known heart failure
- Small parapneumonic effusions
- CABG surgery
What is the pleural fluid protein–serum protein ratio in an exudate?
> 0.5
What is the pleural fluid LDH in an exudate?
> 200 U/L
What is the pleural fluid LDH–serum protein LDH ratio in an exudate?
> 0.6
What is the usual RBC count of the pleural fluid in case of malignancy?
RBC count 5000-10,000/µL (bloody)
What is the usual RBC count of the pleural fluid in case of malignancy?
RBC count 5000-10,000/µL (bloody)
What is the usual RBC count of the pleural fluid in case of pulmonary infarction?
RBC count 5000-10,000/µL (bloody)
What percentage of the white blood cells are lymphocytes in the pleural fluid in case of tuberculosis?
> 80%
What percentage of the white blood cells are lymphocytes in the pleural fluid in case of sarcoidosis?
> 80%
What percentage of the white blood cells are lymphocytes in the pleural fluid in case of sarcoidosis?
> 80%
What percentage of the white blood cells are lymphocytes in the pleural fluid in case of lymphoma?
> 80%
If the pleural fluid shows nucleated cells >50,000/µL what should you think of?
- Complicated parapneumonic effusions
- Empyema
What is the pH of the pleural fluid in case of complicated parapneumonic effusion?
pH < 7.0
What is the pH of the pleural fluid in case of esophageal rupture?
pH < 7.0
What is the pH of the pleural fluid in case of lupus pleuritis?
pH < 7.0
What is the pH of the pleural fluid in case of rheumatoid pleuritis?
pH < 7.0
What is the pH of the pleural fluid in case of tuberculosis?
pH < 7.0
If the pleural fluid shows pleural fluid amylase to serum amylase ratio > 1 what should you think of?
- Pancreatic disease
- Esophageal rupture
- Cancer
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of complicated parapneumonic effusion?
< 60 mg/dL
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of complicated parapneumonic effusion?
< 60 mg/dL
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of lupus pleuritis?
< 60 mg/dL
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of rheumatoid pleuritis?
< 60 mg/dL
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of tuberculosis?
< 60 mg/dL
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of cancer?
< 60 mg/dL
What is the glucose level in the pleural fluid in case of empyema?
< 60 mg/dL
Which test is most likely to yield a positive tuberculosis culture?
Pleural biopsy
Is the level of adenosine deaminase increased or decreased in most tuberculosis pleural fluid samples?
Increased
After how many samples of pleural fluid is the yield for positive malignant cytology is maximized?
2
What should be performed for an undiagnosed exudative effusion (two negative cytology examinations) when
malignancy is suspected?
Thoracoscopy
At what pleural fluid pH does a parapneumonic pleural effusion require chest tube drainage?
pH < 7.2
At what pleural fluid glucose level does a parapneumonic pleural effusion require chest tube drainage?
Glucose < 60 mg/dL
For patients with malignant effusions, indwelling pleural catheters provide symptom relief; what percentage of patients achieve spontaneous obliteration of the pleural space (pleurodesis) after 6 weeks?
Up to 70%
What is the percentage success rate of chemical pleurodesis with talc in patients in malignant effusions?
90%
What should you do for moderate to large effusions associated with pneumonia.
Thoracentesis
Are pleural effusions associated with nephrotic syndrome common?
Yes