Past Paper Qs Flashcards
Rank cancers as cause of death in UK men according to frequency with (1) being the most common
Lung
Prostate
Colon
Head and Neck
Breast
Mechanism of Evolocumab?
Lowers LDL by inhibiting PCSK9
Woman has acute SOB. PMHx includes hypertension and T2D. Her medication is metformin, atorvastatin, amlodipine. Blood pressure was high. She had a third heart sound, no murmurs, and bibasal crackles. Blood tests - sodium was normal, potassium was 3.5, urea was high, creatinine was high. Rank diagnosis with (1) being most likely.
- Phaeochromocytoma
- Addisons
- Cushings
- Essential hypertension
- Conns
- Essential htn
- Cushing’s
- Conn’s
- Phaeochromocytoma
- Addison’s
Rank in order of potency at reducing LDL with (1) being the most potent
- Atorvostatin
- Bezafibrate
- Prednisolone
- Simvastatin
- Evolocumab
- Evolocumab
- Atorvostatin
- Simvastatin
- Bezafibrate (antilipimetic)
- Prednisolone
Moa Bezafibrate?
Antilipemic, lowers LDL and increases HDL
Which antibodies are present in Sjorgren’s syndrome?
- Anti-Ro
- Anti-La
- RF
- ANA
When will C3 and C4 be low in SLE?
C4 always, C3 only if it’s severe
Which is more sensitive for SLE: ANA or anti-dsDNA?
ANA (95-99%)
(ds-DNA 50-70%)
Young woman with dysuria, urinary frequency and suprapubic pain. Rank organisms with (1) being most likely
- Staph saprophyticus
- Acinetobacter baumanii
- Candida albicans
- Escherichia coli
- Proteus mirabilis
Escherichia coli
Staph saprophyticus
Proteus mirabilis
Acinetobacter baumanii (main one for catheters)
Candida albicans
Fatigue and mild jaundice, has spherocytes on blood film. Coombs test positive. Likely diagnosis?
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
What does d-dimer detect?
Fibrin degredation products
Pregnant women given misoprostol to induce labour. She suddenly has severe shivers, clammy skin, vomiting. Observations - high HR, low BP. Blood results - INR of 1.9, high APTT, , high D-dimers. What is the most likely obstetric event?
Amniotic fluid embolism
At what temperature can platelet transfusions be stored?
20-24 degrees (22 degrees)
Infants with sickle cell disease (HbSS) may have splenic sequestration. Why malignant cells with reactive fibrosis and high eosinophils does this not occur before 3 months of age?
HbF (foetal haemoglobin) is present
Venetoclax is a BCL2 inhibitor used in CLL. What cellular process does it affect?
Apoptosis
Which cellular markers indicate CLL?
CD5+ CD19+
Man has returned from India. Whilst abroad, he has malaise and jaundice which self-resolved. He now has fatigue and easy bruising. Blood results - low Hb, normal MCV, low reticulocytes, low WCC, low neutrophils, normal lymphocytes, low platelets. What is the likely diagnosis?
Dengue haemorrhagic fever
Which mosquitos transmit Dengue fever?
Aedes
Commonest primary tumour of the heart
Myxoma
What is the commonest cause of constrictive pericarditis in the developing world?
Tuberculosis
A dysgerminoma is a type of tumour that affects the ovary. What is the equivalent tumour type in the testes?
Seminoma
What is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults that is a glomerular pathology?
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (primary)
Diabetic nephropathy (secocndary)
What is the commonest cause of myocarditis?
Viral infection - coxsackie
Raised AMA antibodies are characteristic of which liver disease?
Primary biliary cholangitis
Which liver enzyme can be measured in the blood and specifically suggests obstructive jaundice if levels are raised?
Gamma glutyl transferase (more specific than ALP)
Woman has neck pain, which radiates to the upper neck and jaw. Pain is worse on swallowing. She has PMHx of URTI two weeks ago. Investigations - high T4, high T3, low TSH. Technetium scanning of thyroid shows low uptake. What is the likely cause of hyperthyroidism?
De Quervain’s thyroiditis
(Not producing excess T3/4, releasing due to apoptosis)
What condition occurs in both MEN1 and MEN2a?
Primary hyperparathyroidism
What is the name of vitamin B3?
Niacin
Alcoholic has severe abdominal pain, rigid abdomen - he has acute pancreatitis. What blood test will confirm the diagnosis?
Lipase
(more sensitive than amylase)
What is the commonest cause of hypercalcaemia in the community?
Primary hyperparathyroidism
What hormone is produced by fat cells, and has receptors in the hypothalamus?
Leptin
Where is ghrelin produced?
Endocrine cells of the stomach
Deficiency of which plasma protein occurs in patients with liver disease and a movement disorder?
Caeruloplasmin
What condition involves the upper and lower airways and kidneys, and is ANCA positive with cytoplasmic staining and is specific for proteinase 3?
Wegener’s granulomatosis/ granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Which condition is caused by reactivation of human polyoma virus 2 (John Cunningham (JC) virus) in immunosuppressed people?
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
Doctors should measure the level/activity of which enzyme before prescribing azathioprine?
Thiopurine methyltransferase
5-month baby has failure to thrive and recurrent infections. Investigations - mutation affecting IL2RG gene, which encodes IL2 common gamma chain. What is the diagnosis?
X-linked SCID
IL2RG encodes for IL2 common gamma chain
CAR T-cells are engineered to bind to CD19. They have immunoglobulin variable fragments to CD19 linked to cytoplasmic T-cell activation domains. They are effective in treating haem malignancies of which cell type?
B lymphocytes
Denosumab is a monoclonal antibody specific for RANKL. What condition is it used to treat?
Osteoporosis
Man has recently returned from trip to India, has high fever and abdominal pain but no diarrhoea. His blood cultures - gram-ve bacilli. Malaria rapid diagnostic test is -ve. What is the most appropriate antibiotic therapy?
Ceftriaxone
(Salmonella typhi)
Which human herpes virus is associated with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder?
EBV (HHV4)
Patient receiving chemotherapy for leukaemia. She has prolonged neutropenia and ongoing fever, raised inflammatory markers despite broad antibacterial therapy with meropenem and amikacin. CT scan shows multiple nodules with surrounding hypo-attenuation (halo sign). What is the most likely organism?
Aspergillosis
Young woman has severe headache, neck stiffness, fever. She is HIV+ve but is poorly compliant with medication, does not attend her appointments. She has yeasts in her CSF. What is the causative organism?
Cryptococcus neoformans
Poorly controlled person with T2DM has headache, sinus pain, periorbital oedema and orbital cellulitis. His symptoms have progressed rapidly. He has purulent discharge from his nose. ENT surgeons bring him to theatre as an emergency. What antifungal therapy should be started ASAP?
Amphotericin B
(Mucormycosis)
What does a left shift on blood film mean?
Increased number of immature blood cells
What does a right shift on blood film mean?
Increased number of mature neutrophils with hypersegmented nuclei
What does toxic granulation mean?
The presence of dark, coarse granules within the cytoplasm of neutrophils on a blood film
Indicates severe infection
What does cryopercipitate contain?
Fibrinogen, factor VIII, factor XIII, von Willebrand factor, and fibronectin
Bleeding patient has prolonged APTT and PT, but normal platelet count and normal fibrinogen. What is the most suitable blood component for treatment?
FFP
(Contains all the coagulation factors)
55-year-old male smoker, on long term frusemide. Investigations - high Hb, high Hct, normal red cell mass. Plasma volume is low. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Relative polycythaemia
(Occurs when there’s a decrease in plasma volume eg. long term furosemide use)
What is the difference between relative and secondary polycythaemia?
Relative = decreased plasma volume
Secondary = increased RBC production
75-year-old woman has neutropenic sepsis secondary to myelodysplasia. Her blood count is lower than it was 6 weeks ago, with marked panyctopaenia. Blood film shows numerous large cells of primitive appearance. What is the likely explanation?
Progression to AML
Acute GvHD post-allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplant is mediated by which cell type?
Donor T cells
25-year-old with acute leukaemia requires an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant. She is mixed Afro-Carribean and European heritage and has one sibling. What is the chance of the sibling being HLA identical?
1:4
Which type of necrosis is associated with a MI?
Coagulative necrosis
(This type of necrosis is typically seen in infarcts in all solid organs except the brain)
What type of necrosis occurs in the brain?
Liquefactive necrosis
What is the most common ovarian tumour?
Serous cystadenoma
Which virus is associated with the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
EBV
What is the commonest cause of adult ARDS?
Sepsis
Which is the commonest glial cell in the CNS?
Astrocytes
Which is the commonest cause of pancreatitis in adults?
Gallstones
25 year man is in A&E with abdo pain and having collapsed, he had a low blood pressure and was in shock. Blood results - low sodium, high potassium, low HCO3-, slightly high urea, high creatinine, slightly low glucose.
Renal failure - pre-renal AKI (2ndary to Addison’s)
What is a side effect of quinine?
Hypoglycaemia
What is the role of cortisol with insulin?
Cortisol has anti-insulin effects to keep blood sugar levels high, therefore ACTH deficiency will lead to increased insulin sensitivity and low plasma glucose
What is the criteria for macroadenoma?
> 10mm
Conjugate vaccine of polysaccharide and protein carrier may be used to enhance B-cell immunity to which of the following?
HIV
TB
Rabies
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Vibrio cholerae
Strep pneumoniae
Which of the following monoclonal antibody therapies enhances T-cell immunity and is used in management of some malignancies?
Infliximab (anti-TNFalpha)
Pembrolizumab (anti-PD1)
Rituximab (anti-CD20)
Tocilizumab (anti-IL6R)
Ustekinumab (anti-IL12/23)
Pembrolizumab
Pembrolizumab is a checkpoint inhibitor that targets the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor on T cells. By blocking this receptor, pembrolizumab prevents the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2), which are often expressed by cancer cells to evade the immune system.
Which one of the following agents is effective as a biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (b-DMARD) as part of rheumatoid arthritis management?
Adalimumab (anti-TNFalpha)
Basiliximab (anti-CD25)
Denosumab (anti-RANKL)
Pembrolizumab (anti-PD1)
Secukinumab (anti-IL17A)
Adalimumab
Which one of the following is a standard immunosuppressive regimen for patients who received an allograft?
Azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, prednisolone
Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, rituximab
Cyclosporine, rapamycin, tacrolimus
Mycophenolate mofetil, prednisolone, tacrolimus
Mycophenolate mofetil, prednisolone, tacrolimus
72 year old man is a close household contact of someone recently diagnosed with smear positive pulmonary TB. What is his lifetime risk of developing TB?
10%
72-year-old man has returned from a 7 day holiday in Italy. He has signs of pneumonia and Legionella urinary antigen is positive. Which of the following antibacterials is the most appropriate initial therapy?
Azithromycin
Amoxicillin
Ceftriaxone
Co-trimoxazole
Meropenem
Azithromycin
Which hepatitis virus is associated with more severe disease if acquired in pregnancy potentially leading to fulminant hepatic failure and death?
Hep E
Which of the following serological tests is useful in the diagnosis of invasive Candida albicans infections?
Beta-D-Glucan
Galactomannan
RFR
TPPA
Widal test
Beta-D-glucan
Streptobacillus moniliformis is the causative organism of which of the following infections?
Bacillary angiomatosis
Lyme disease
Q fever
Rat bite fever
Syphilis
Rat bite fever
- Bacillary angiomatosis = bartonella henselae
- Lyme disease = borrelia burgdorferi
- Q fever = coxiella burnetti
- Syphilis = treponema pallidum
What is the commonest form of prion disease?
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Which coronary artery is most commonly occluded in MI?
LAD
What is the general range for gestational thrombocytopaenia?
130-150 000
Below 70 excludes GT and indicates another pathology eg. ITP
Platelets >50 preferred for delivery
What are the blood results for DIC?
- Thrombocytopaenia
- Elevated FDPs
- Prolonged PT
- Prologned aPTT
- Low fibrinogen
Which antivirals:
CMV retinitis
HSV meningitis
VZV
Child with RSV
Asthmatic with flu
CMV retinitis: ganciclovir
HSV meningitis: aciclovir
VZV: aciclovir
Child with RSV: ribavirin
Asthmatic with flu: oseltamivir
What are the first signs of cocaine use?
- Dilated pupils
- Tachycardia
- Hypertension
What are the classic histological findings of malignant hypertension?
Fibrinoid necrosis and hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis
What are Kimmelstiel Wilson nodules?
Diffuse GBM thickening with mesnagial matrix nodules (diabetic nephropathy)
What is the causative agent of pityriasis versicolor?
Malassezia furfur
Lady came back from visiting her sister in Arizona with systemic sx - fever etc, which fungus caused her symptoms?
Coccidioides species
Either coccidioides immitis or coccidioides posadasii
Cause coccidioidomycosis aka. Valley fever
SW USA
Which fungal infections are patients with poorly controlled diabetes at risk of?
Mucormycosis
Causes: rhizopus, mucor or rhizomucor
Women has acute appendicitis, 5mm tumour found in tip when it’s removed. What is the tumour?
Neuroendocrine tumour
What immune cell detects MHC1 and kills virus infected/cancer cells. Is inhibited by MHC I?
Natural killer cells
What would you measure to check for beta thalassaemia?
HbA2
Receptor mutation that could be protective in HIV?
CCR5-delta 32
What is done to blood donations to reduce GvHD?
Irradiation
Eczematous nipple rash caused by individual ‘malignant cells’?
Padget’s disease of the breast
How does being male increase the risk of VTE recurrence?
2-3 times increased
Most common type of primary thyroid cancer to metastasise to lymph node?
Papillary
What is the definition of herd immunity threshold?
(R0-1)/R0
75-85% of population to be vaccinated
Name 1 of the 3 characteristics of Influenza A that could cause a pandemic?
- Novel antigenicity
- Efficient replication in the human airway
- Efficient viral transmission between people
Patient is on low molecular weight heparin, what do you measure to monitor this?
Anti-Xa assay
Routine monitoring not usually required, only if there’s an increased risk of bleeding eg. renal impairment, underweight, overweight, pregnancy
Alcoholic man is on ceftriaxone for meningitis, what organism is he at risk of which this does not cover for?
Listeria monocytogenes
Alcohol increases the risk of listeria monocytogenes
What virus increases risk of nasopharyngeal cancer?
EBV
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy against CD19: what type of haematological malignancy does it target?
B-cell haematological malignancies, CD19 is a surface marker on B cells
Has contact with someone with TB, what is the risk of getting active TB?
10%
Ankylosing spondylitis - they’ve tried NSAID and TNF inhibitor?, what else can you target?
IL-17
45yo woman with autoimmune diseases, low IgM, IgA and IgE; full blood count is normal?
Common variable immunodeficiency
Associated with autoimmune diseases, normal FBC
What is the pattern of symptoms after extradural haematoma?
Initial LOC followed by lucid interval then rapid deterioration
Presentation within hours of injury
Young guy has a fall and hits his head, presents two days later and then loses consciousness, where is the bleeding coming from?
Subdural haematoma
Likely to present with a gradual worsening of symptoms
HTLV1 virus is associated with which cancer?
Adult T cell lymphoma
Antibiotic of choice for salmonella typhi?
Ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone
Histopathological change that occurs to liver in patients with diabetes?
Steatosis (NAFLD)
Nivolumab is a PD1 inhibitor, what cells does it target?
T regulatory cells
What is the guidance for cervical polpys?
<2cm
- Remove and send for histology
- Abnormal histology, refer for colposcopy
> 2cm
- Refer to gynae clinic
EBV serology 2 weeks post infection
- IgM viral capsid antigen (preferred)
- IgG viral capsid antigen (higher)
What kind’ve vaccine is strep pneumoniae?
Conjugate vaccine
Which disease do you see in both MEN1 and MEN2a?
Primary hyperparathyroidism
What type of section is done for urgent diagnosis during surgery?
A frozen section
Tissue is excised and frozen to preserve
Which direction is the shunt in tetrology of fallot?
Right to left
What Type Hypersensitivity causes serum sickness?
Type III
Foreign serum triggers B cells to produce antibodies with form complexes and deposit in tissue
Young gentleman brough to A&E by friends due to confusion. CSF is clear, raised lymphocytes, high protein, normal glucose. Causative organism?
HSV, consistent with viral encephalitis (leading cause in adults)
- Clear CSF: Typically seen in viral infections.
- Raised Lymphocytes: Indicates a viral etiology, as bacterial infections usually present with a predominance of neutrophils.
- High Protein: Often elevated in viral infections, though not as high as in bacterial infections.
- Normal Glucose: Suggests viral rather than bacterial infection, as bacterial meningitis often causes low CSF glucose levels.
What would be high in most common cause of CAH?
ACTH
What vaccine preventable organism causes cough, lymph node enlargement and has a potential to occlude the airway?
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Which hormones stimulate the release of prolactin?
- GHRH
- TRH
What is the effect of the gene mutation in familial mediterranean fever?
Increased IL-1 production
What is the mechanism of hyperacute allograft rejection?
Pre-existing antibodies in the host against the donor transplant (existing before the transplantation)
What are the features of corynebacterium diphtheriae?
- Cough
- Lymph node enlargement: bull neck (significant swelling of the lymph nodes)
- Airway obstruction: grey pseudomembrane on the throat, tonsils, nasal passages
What medical procedure can you do to prevent hyperacute ABO rejection in the transfer of an ABO incompatible kidney?
Plasmapheresis
What’s the most common cause of constrictive pericarditis with calcifications?
TB
What is the treatment of mucormycosis?
Mainly get if immunocompromised (T2DM with eye+sinus infection is classic)
Amphotericin B
What 3 infections are checked in pregnant women according to UK screening program?
HIV
Hepatitis B
Syphilis
According to the RECOVERY study, what steroid is given in COVID-19 with low oxygen?
Dexamethosone
What type of hypersensitivity reaction is Goodpasture’s?
Type II
What blood gas deformity does aspirin overdose usually cause?
- Respiratory alkalosis - salicyclates stimulate the respiratory centre and increase oxygen intake
- Metabolic acidosis (raised anion gap)
Most patients present with a mixed metabolic acidosis and respiratory alkalosis
Name the type of physiological cell death that occurs in embryogenesis?
Apoptosis
What are the microscopic findings over 6 hours after a transmural myocardial infarction?
- Loss of nuclei
- Homogenous cytoplasm
- Necrotic cell death
(Macroscopic, nothing)
Which hepatitis virus normally doesn’t become chronic, but dangerous for pregnant women?
Hepatitis E
A no presenting complaint 56 yo man comes in for routine bloods: all normal except high IgG. BM aspirate shows 8% blast cells. What’s the diagnosis
Monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (<10%)
Which antifungal class is not effective against pneumocystic jirovecii?
Echinocandins - Pneumocystis jirovecii doesn’t have ergosterol or beta D glucan in the cell wall
Also not effective against cryptococcus
What test on peripheral blood would reveal the diagnosis, results in line with multiple myeloma?
Serum protein electrophoresis
What is the diagnosis, results showed increased IgG lambda but normal kappa lambda ratio, <30g/L
Suggests non-malignant polyclonal gammopathy
- Chronic infection
- Autoimmune disease
- Chronic inflammation
How can ACE inihibtors affect GFR?
Angiotensin II causes vasoconstriction of the efferent arteriole increasing GFR
Lack of angiotensin II production decreases pressure gradient and decreases GFR
Starting ACE inhibitors in people with renal artery stenosis can increase the effects
What are the blood results for tumour lysis syndrome?
- Elevated potassium
- Elevated bicarbonate
- Elevated urea
- DECREASED calcium