Oxford questions Flashcards
Wells Score
If <2, perform a D-dimer test – if negative, DVT is excluded. Consider alternative diagnoses.
If ≥2, or if the D-dimer is positive, proceed to Doppler and compression ultrasound examination of the venous system.
Which patients with a DVT should undergo investigations for an underlying cause
Those aged >55yrs with unprovoked DVT, and those with recurrent unprovoked DVT or DVT at an unusual site
Ann Arbor classification
The Ann Arbor classification is used for lymphoma staging, based on distribution of diseased tissue:
Stage I involves only one lymph node area
II involves 2 or more on one side of the diaphragm
III involves 2 or more on both sides of the diaphragm
IV involves any extra-lymphatic tissue (including bone marrow)
The presence of ‘B symptoms’ is denoted by adding B as a suffix
Classic complications of CLL
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Hypogammaglobulinaemia
Two groups of patients diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis
Young women (20-35)
Tend to present with a generalised, and often acute condition
Older men (60-75)
Who tend to present with prominent oculobulbar involvement
Classic presentation of Myasthenia Gravis
Patients usually present with fatigueable weakness
Progressively weakness over the course of the day is classic. The weakness improves with rest
Ocular and bulbar involvement is also possible, leading to ptosis, swallowing difficulties and speech disturbance
Most common antibodies in Myasthenia Gravis
Anti-AChR antibodies
Anti-MUSK antibodies
Most important investigation for Myasthenia Gravis
Forced vital capacity (FVC) is the key initial investigation in first presentation or flare
If this is low (<1.5l) then make sure ITU are at least aware of the patient, as they can rapidly deteriorate and require intubation and ventilation
Measure this at least 4-hourly in patients with acute/relapsed MG at presentation
Genetic disorders associated with colorectal cancer
Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)
Autosomal dominant, due to mutations in various mismatch repair genes and responsible for 3% of colorectal cancers
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
Autosomal dominant defect in APC gene
MUTYH-associated polyposis
An autosomal recessive condition which may cause polyposis and confers increased colorectal cancer risk
How does Hep B present
Hep B often presents with a subclinical or flu-like illness but can present with:
Acute hepatitis
Hepatomegaly
Jaundice (only 30-50%)
Dark urine/pale stools due to intrahepatic cholestasis
Serum-sickness-like syndrome
Rash, polyarthritis, fever
Rarely, arteritis or immune-complex-mediated renal failure
Chronic liver disease
Hep B medication
Pegylated interferon
Good:
No resistance
Finite duration of therapy
Bad:
Less well tolerated due to side-effect profile
Only moderate antiviral activity
Nucleoside (Lamivudine, Entecavir) and Nucleotide (Tenofovir) analogues
Good:
Potent antiviral effects
Few side-effects
Bad:
Risk of resistance to some drugs
Where in the spinal column does the spinal cord end?
L1
For a spinal cord compression why is an MRI of only the spinal cord inadequate
Clinical signs are poor at localising the site of the lesion
Metastases are present at more than one site in the spinal canal in 33% of patients with malignant cord compression
Surgical fixation requires good bone texture either side of a lesion, so this area must be imaged too
Most malignant causes of spinal cord compression
Lung cancer (25%)
Prostate cancer (16%)
Myeloma (11%)
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (8%)
Breast cancer (7%)
Key features to address in a dementia history?
Try to establish:
Patient’s (and collateral) view of memory decline
Biographical history
Objective view of memory decline (e.g. knowledge of current affairs)
Impact of memory decline on day-to-day living and hobbies
Social history, including safety and driving
General medical history (especially medications)
Micro and Macro pathological of UC
Macro:
Inflammation extends proximally from the rectum
Hence inflammation can be classified as proctitis (limited to rectum), left-sided colitis (extending to sigmoid and descending colon), or pan-colitis (when entire colon involved)
Mucosa is reddened, inflamed, and bleeds easily.
Extensive ulceration, with islands of normal mucosa
Micro:
Superficial inflammation of mucosa (cf. Crohn’s, which is full-thickness)
Chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate in lamina propria (part of mucosa just under epithelium)
Crypt abcesses
Goblet (mucus-making) cell depletion
How to classify acute presentation of UC
Truelove and Witts’ criteria
Extra intestinal manifestations of UC
Mouth ulcers (strictly part of the GI tract but often considered separately)
Erythema nodosum
Uveitis/episcleritis
Arthropathy
Pyoderma granulosum
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (75% of this is seen in ulcerative colitis patients)
UC complications
Acute
Toxic megacolon
Mortality approx. 20%
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Colorectal carcinoma
Risk increased 10-20 times once patients have had UC for 20 years
5-asa treatment probably reduces risk
Do colonoscopy starting at 10 years
Mucosal dysplasia on rectal biopsy is associated with cancer elsewhere in the bowel.
Then repeat at 1,3,or 5-year intervals depending on risk
Pouchitis after colectomy (with relapsing-remitting course)
Osteoporosis from steroid therapy
Bisphosphonates to over 65s on steroids and DEXA
Then bisphosphonates if T<1.5
How does Crohn’s disease present with
Extra intestinal manifestations of Crohn’s
Micro/Macro for Crohn’s
Crohn’s complications
What’s the differential diagnosis of heart murmurs?
What are the abnormalities of the heart sounds?
What are the different murmur types and clinical findings in different valve lesions?
Causes of clubbing
Blood test to examine synthetic liver function
The best test of synthetic liver function are PT (prothrombin time [or INR, which is derived from PT]), platelets and albumin
Complications of Chronic liver disease
Variceal bleeding
Ascites
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Encephalopathy
Hepatorenal syndrome
HCC
Giant Cell Arteritis presentation
Staging AKI
Stage 1: Cr ≥1.5-2 times baseline or urine output (UO) <0.5 ml/kg/hours for >6 consecutive hours
Stage 2: Cr ≥2-3 times baseline or UO <0.5 ml/kg/hours for >12 hours
Stage 3: Cr ≥3 times baseline or UO <0.3 ml/kg/h for ≥24 hours or anuria for >12 hours
4 types of nephrotoxic drugs you would stop
ACEIs
ARBs
NSAIDs
Aminoglycosides e.g. gentamicin
How can urine and plasma osmolality and sodium help in the determinig cause of AKI
Pre-renal AKI: kidney is functioning maximally to retain salt and water; urinary osmolality is high (600-900 mosm/L) and urinary sodium is low (<10 mM)
ATN: kidney is functioning inadequately and is unable to retain salt and water; urinary osmolality approaches that of plasma(280 mosm/L) and urinary sodium rises (>30 mM)
Complications of AKI
Hyperkalaemia
Hypo/hypernatraemia
Hypercalcaemia
Metabolic acidosis
Pulmonary oedema
Hypertension
Uraemic encephalopathy
Uraemic pericarditis
Micropathology of COPD
Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of mucus-secreting goblet cells of bronchial tree
Fibrosis and thickening of bronchial walls
Lymphocytic infiltrate
Emphysema – Dilatation and destruction of lung tissue distal to terminal bronchiole leading to reduced elasticity and gas exchange surface
3 main causes of syncope
Reflex/neural
Orthostatic hypotension
Cardiac
Define syncope and seizure
Syncope: transient loss of consciousness due to global cerebral hypoperfusion caused by hypotension secondary to a fall in cardiac output (CO) or systemic vascular resistance (SVR)
Seizure: episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain
Reynold’s pentad
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Charcot’s triad
PLUS
Septic shock
Confusion
Stages of hyperkalaemia
Mild: 5.5-6.0 mM
Moderate: 6.1-6.9 mM
Severe: ≥7.0 mM
Causes of hyperkalaemia
Excess intake
Release from intracellular fluid (ICF)
Inadequate excretion
Pseudohyperkalaemia: laboratory artefact typically caused by haemolysis during venepuncture
Medications you would give immediately for hyperkalaemia
Calcium chloride or gluconate 10 ml of 10% by slow IV injection
Salbutamol 5 mg nebuliser
Insulin-dextrose infusion: 10 units of actrapid in 50 ml of 50% dextrose over 30 minutes
Cushing’s triad
Head Injuries
Hypertension
Bradycardia
Irregular respirations
As ICP rises, MAP rises to maintain CPP; excessive MAP may cause a reflex bradycardia.
Define AKI, oilguria, anuria
AKI: sudden deterioration in renal function leading to an inability to maintain fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance
Oligura: reduced urine output; defined variously as <0.5 ml/kg/hour, <30 ml/hour or <400 ml/day
Anuria: complete absence of urine output
Upper/lower causes of fibrosis
Organisms most commonly associated with bronchiectasis
Staph aureus
Haemophilus influenza
Pseudomonas
Rarer:
Pneumococcus
Klebsiella
Yellow Nail Syndrome
Bronchiectasis + yellow nails + lymphoedema
Appearence of Primary Sclerosing cholangitis on ERCP
Onion skin
4 characteristic features of asthma
Cough
Dyspnoea
Wheeze
Chest tightness
Features that categorise moderate asthma attack
Worsening symptoms
No features of acute severe asthma
PEFR >50% of best/predicted
Acute severe asthma attack
Inability to complete sentences in a single breath
PEFR <50% of best/predicted
RR >/= 25
HR >/= 110
life threatening asthma
Poor respiratory effort
Cyanosis
Silent chest
Hypotension
Arrhythmia
Exhaustion
Reduced conscious level
PEFR <33% of best/predicted
SpO2 <92%
PaO2 <8 kPa
Normal PaCO2 = 4.6-6.0 kPa
Intial treatment for acute asthma
Sit upright.
Salbutamol 5 mg and ipratropium bromide 0.5 mg via oxygen-driven nebuliser
Hallmark autoantibody for primary biliary cirrhosis
Antimitochondrial M2 Ab
Signs and symptoms of anaphyalxis
Acute onset
Airway and breathing
Dyspnoea, respiratory distress, wheeze, stridor
Cyanosis
Circulation
Tachycardia, hypotension
Skin
Urticaria, angioedema
Skin changes in anaphylaxis
Urticaria and/or angioedema (systemic, usually more notable around the face) occurs in 80%
Pathophysiology of anaphylatic shock
Doses of adrenaline given
Anaphylaxis retrospective diagnosis
Measure mast cell tryptase within 6 hours of an anaphylactic reaction.
Chlorphenamine (piriton) 10mg IM or IV
Hydrocortisone 200mg IM or IV
A previously well 72-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by ambulance after suffering a seizure. He denies any head injury or history of epilepsy. A collateral history from his partner reveals a 7-day history of forgetfulness, with a new and progressively worsening headache. On examination, he is disoriented to time and place and has a temperature of 39.1oC,
What initial antimicrobial treatment would be most appropriate to commence?
Ceftriaxone
Amoxicillin
Aciclovir
A 30 year old man goes to see his General Practitioner because of erectile
dysfunction.
Which artery plays an important role in erectile function?
A) Iliolumbar artery
B) Inferior gluteal artery
C) Internal pudendal artery
D) Obturator artery
E) Superior vesical artery
C
Question 20
The wife of a right-handed 28 year old man with a three-year history of seizures has
managed to record a typical seizure on video. During the seizure, his eyes and head
initially turn to the left, the left arm extends before the whole body stiffens, goes rigid
and then begins to shake vigorously. The shaking subsides gradually over one
minute.
In which part of the brain is this seizure likely to have started?
A) Left frontal lobe
B) Left mesial temporal lobe
C) Right frontal lobe
D) Right mesial temporal lobe
E) Right parietal lobe
C