PLAB 1700B Flashcards
A 45yo lady has 10m hx of SOB. She is found to have irregularly irregular pulse and loud P2 with fixed splitting and ejection systolic murmur in left 2nd ICS. What is the probable dx?
a. TOF
b. ASD
c. VSD
d. PDA
e. CoA
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is B. Atrial septal defect.
Ans. 2. Diagnosis is ASD with atrial fibrillation. [i) atrial fibrillation = irregularly irregular pulse. ii) ASD = SOB, fixed splitting with loud P2, ESM in pulmonary area]. This picture is typical. One should not misdiagnose SOB, ESM in pulmonary area and loud P2 as pulmonary hypertension (though in elderly this can develop with ASD).
A 5m baby present with recurrent vomiting. Mother noticed some of the vomitus is blood stained. Choose the single most likely inv?
a. Upper GI endoscopy
b. Barium meal
c. US
d. Colonoscopy
e. CT abdomen
Ans. The key is A. upper GI endoscopy.
A 76yo is treated with HTN. He suffers from pain and redness at the MTP joint of his right big toe.
Which of the following anti-HTN cause this symptoms?
a. Losartan
b. Bendroflumethiazide
c. Ramipril
d. Bisoprolol
e. Verapamil
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Q. 3. What is the cause of the disease?
Ans. 1. The key is B. Bendroflumethiazide
Ans. 2. Diagnosis is acute gout.
Ans. 3. Thiazide diuretics may cause hyperuricemia and thus cause or precipitate gout.
A 33yo male involved in a street fight presents with bruises and deformity in the upper part of his leg. XR shows fx of the neck of fibula. What is the single most associated nerve injury?
a. Sciatic nerve
b. Gluteal nerve
c. Musculocutaneous nerve
d. Lateral peroneal nerve
e. Tibial nerve
f. Femoral nerve
Ans. The key is D. Lateral peroneal nerve. [Lateral peroneal nerve is other name of superficial peroneal nerve].
A 35yo man presents with hx of dyspepsia. H.Pylori antibodies are negative. No improvement is seen after 1m of tx. What is the next step?
a. Urea breath test
b. Gastroscopy
c. CT
d. MRI
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What may be the D/D here?
Q. 3. At this age what are the indications of this procedure?
Ans. 1. Gastroscopy.
Ans. 2. Not responding to treatment D/D is: i) Jollinger Elison syndrome ii) Ca stomach
Ans. 3. Indications of gastroscopy in a 35 yo man (for man of age <50): i) Acute symptoms with H/O previous episode (PUD) ii) Alarm features [weight loss, anaemia, vomiting, hematemesis and melaena, dysphagia, palpable abdominal mass], fear of cancer, evidence of organic disease.
A 15yo male has bilateral ankle edema. His BP=110/70mmHg and urinalysis shows protein++++.
What is the most likely dx?
a. HUS
b. IgA nephropathy
c. Membranous GN
d. Minimal change GN
e. Nephrotic syndrome
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What are the points in favour of your diagnosis?
Q. What is the treatment?
Ans. 1. The key is D. Minimal change disease.
Ans. 2. Points in favour: i) Age 15 ii) Ankle oedema iii) Normotension iv) Heavy proteinuria.
Ans. 3. Treatment of choice is steroid (prednisolon). Failure of steroid or frequent relapse (>3) cyclophosphamide.
A 28yo man has developed a red, raised rash on trunk after playing football. His PMH shows he had childhood asthma. The rash is becoming increasingly itchy. What is the most appropriate tx?
a. Oral chlorpheneraime
b. Oral amoxicillin
c. IM adrenaline
d. Nebulized salbutamol
e. Histamine
Q. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is A. Oral chlorpheneramine.
Ans. 2. Diagnosis is Atopy (allergy).
A 72yo man has been advised to have antibiotic prophylaxis for some years now before dental tx.
He has never experienced chest pain. Three weeks ago, he noticed breathlessness on exertion and for one week he had orthopnea. His pulse is normal.
What is the most probable dx?
a. Aortic regurgitation
b. Ischemic mitral regurgitation
c. Mitral valve prolapse
d. Pulmonary stenosis
e. Mitral valve stenosis
Ans. The kay is E. Mitral valve stenosis. [Mitral stenosis is the most common valvular complication of rheumatic fever].
A 37yo woman presents with fatigue. Exam: angular stomatitis, no koilonychea. Choose the single cell type you will find on the blood film.
a. Macrocytes
b. Microcytes
c. Granulocytes wthout blast cells
d. Blast cells
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the cause here?
Q. 3. What are the points in favour of mentioned cause?
Ans. 1. The given key is A. Macrocytes.
Ans. 2. The cause here is VIT. B12 or folate deficiency.
Ans. 3. Points in favour of Vit. B12 or folate deficiency: i) fatigue (anaemia) ii) angular stomatitis (can be seen in Vit. B12 or folate deficiency) iii) absence of koilonychea is against IDA.
A 4yo boy with a febrile convulsion lasting eight minutes has been given IV lorazepam to control them. What is the single most likely serious side effect?
a. Amnesia
b. Anaphylactic shock
c. Apnea
d. Bronchospasm
e. Cardiac arrhythmia
Ans. The key is C. Apnoea. [Respiratory depression may occur following lorazepam administration].
A 4wk girl has been dx of having breast milk jaundice. She is otherwise well. What is the single most appropriate management?
a. Continue breastfeeding
b. Exchange transfusion
c. Increase fluid intake
d. Phototherapy
e. Stop breastfeeding
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is breast milk jaundice?
Q. 3. What type of hyperbilirubinemia occurs in breast milk jaundice?
Q. 4. What is the cause of this jaundice?
Ans. 1. The key is A. Continue breast feeding.
Ans. 2. If jaundice lasts past the first week of life in a breastfed baby who is otherwise healthy, the condition may be called “breast milk jaundice.”
Ans. 3. Unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia.
Ans. 4. Cause of breast milk jaundice: factors in a mother’s milk that help a baby absorb bilirubin from the intestine.
A 12yo girl when playing in the garden accidentally stepped on a hive and was bitten several times. She has numerous wheals on her body and complains of severe itching. What is the single most appropriate management?
a. Oral antihistamine
b. IV antihistamine
c. IM adrenaline
d. Oral ciprofloxacin
e. Reassurance
Ans. The given key is C. IM adrenaline which is a wrong key. The correct answer is A. Oral antihistamine. [Intravenous antihistamines are used as an adjunct to epinephrine in the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis and angioedema. Parenteral antihistamine is not recommended in less severe allergic reaction (other than anaphylaxis)].
Followings are the indications of adrenaline in anaphylaxis:
- Horseness of voice
- Wheeze
- Shortness of breath
- Shock
- Stridor
- Swelling of the tongue and cheek
- Facial swelling
A term baby born to a 30yo woman of blood group A-ve develops severe jaundice within the first 24h of birth. What is the most likely dx?
a. Hereditary spherocytosis
b. G6PD
c. ABO incompatibility
d. Rh incompatibility
e. Physiological jaundice
Ans. The key is D. Rh incompatibility.
A 4yo girl is found to have bounding pulse and continuous machinery murmur. What is the most
probable dx?
a. TOF
b. ASD
c. VSD
d. PDA
e. CoA
Ans. The key is D. PDA. [Continuous mechinary murmur is well known feature of PDA].
A 12yo child with episodes of sudden bluish discoloration and brief loss of consciousness. Exam:
clubbing, central cyanosis, systolic thrill with systolic ejection murmur in 2nd left ICS. What is the most probable dx?
a. TOF
b. ASD
c. VSD
d. PDA
e. CoA
Ans. The key A. TOF. [TOF usually does not become symptomatic at birth or early infancy and given features (central cyanosis and clubbing with murmur of right ventricular outflow obstruction i.e. ejection systolic murmur in 2nd left ICS) are well known features of TOF]. [Tetralogy of fallot = 1. VSD + 2. Overriding of the aorta + Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction + Right ventricular hypertrophy].
An 8yo child who is tall for his age and has a refractory error for which he wears glasses has presented with severe crushing chest pain. What is the most likely dx?
a. Fragile X syndrome
b. Prader-willi syndrome
c. DiGeorge syndrome
d. Marfans syndrome
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the cause of this severe crushing chest pain?
Q. 3. What are the most common cardiac abnormalitis found in this disease?
Ans. 1. The key is D. Marfans syndrome.
Ans. 2. Cause of severe crushing chest pain may be aortic dissection.
Ans. 3. Most common cardiac abnormalities in Marfans syndrome are: dilatation of the aorta and mitral regurgitation.
A 4yo child presents with pain of spontaneous onset in his knee of 2 days duration. He has developed mild fever in the 2nd day. He can walk but has a limp. Exam: painful restriction in the right hip. What is the most probable dx?
a. Osteosarcoma
b. Septic arthritis
c. TB arthritis
d. Exostosis
e. Osteomyelitis
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What are the points in favour of your diagnosis?
Ans. Given key is E. Osteomyelitis which is a wrong key. The correct answer is B. Septic arthritis.
Ans. Points in favour of diagnosis: i) Pain in joints (knee and hip). In osteeomyelitis there is no joint pain but pain in other parts of bone like shaft. ii) Fever iii) Painful restricted movement of joint.
NB This controversial question was debated and ultimately settled as septic arthritis by old plabbers.
A man with anterior resection and end to end anastomosis done complains of severe pain in the
chest and abdominal distension. What is the most appropriate inv likely to review the cause this deterioration?
a. XR abdomen
b. Exploratory laparoscopy
c. CT
d. US
e. Laparotomy
Ans. The key is E. Laparotomy. It is a wrong key! Right key is C. CT. [This is likely an anastomotic leak].
Pt with hx of alcoholism, ataxic gait, hallucinations and loss of memory. He is given acamprosate.
What other drug can you give with this?
a. Chlordiazepoxide
b. Thiamine
c. Diazepam
d. Disulfiram
e. Haloperidol
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Q. What are the points in favour of diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is B. Thiamine.
Ans. 2. The diagnosis is Wernicke’s encephalopathy.
Ans. 3. Points in favour of diagnosis: i) history of alcoholism ii) ataxic gait iii) hallucination iv) memory loss.
A 35yo male builder presented with sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. He was previously fit and well other than taking ibuprofen for a long term knee injury. On examination he is in severe pain, pulse=110bpm, BP=110/70mmHg and has a rigid abdomen. What is the most likely dx?
a. Biliary peritonitis
b. Ischemic colon
c. Pancreatic necrosis
d. Perforated diverticulum
e. Perforated peptic ulcer
Ans. The key is E. Perforated peptic ulcer. [NSAIDs induced perforation. Points in favour- 1. Prolonged use of NSAIDs, 2. Sudden onset of severe abdominal pain, 3. Rigid abdomen].
A woman 5 days post-op for bilateral salphingo-oopherectomy and abdominal hysterectomy has developed abdominal pain and vomiting a/w abdominal distension and can’t pass gas. No bowel sounds heard, although well hydrated. What is the most appropriate next step?
a. XR abdomen
b. Exploratory laparoscopy
c. CT
d. USG
e. Barium enema
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Q. 3. What are the causes of it?
Q. 4. What is the management?
Ans. 1. The key is A. X-ray abdomen.
Ans. 2. The diagnosis is paralytic ileas.
Ans. 3. Causes of paralytic ileus: i) electrolyte imbalance ii) gastroenteritis iii) appendicitis iv) pancreatitis v) surgical complications and vi) certain drugs.
Ans. 4. Management of paralytic ileus: i) nil by mouth ii) nasogastric suction to alleviate the distension and remove the obstruction.
A 30yo man complains of hoarseness of voice. Exam: unilateral immobile vocal cord. What is the most probable dx?
a. Graves disease
b. Hematoma
c. Unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury
d. External laryngeal nerve injury
e. Tracheomalacia
Ans. The key is C. unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.
A 38yo woman has delivered after an induced labor which lasted 26h. choose the single most likely predisposing factor for postpartum hemorrhage?
a. Atonic uterus
b. Cervical/vaginal trauma
c. Rupture uterus
d. Fibroid uterus
e. Age of mother
Ans. The key is A. Atonic uterus. [Prolonged labour is a risk factor for PPH secondary to atonic uterus].
A 32yo woman in tears describing constant irritability with her 2 small children and inability to relax. She describes herself as easily startled with poor sleep and disturbed nightmares following a house fire a year ago, while the family slept. What is the single best tx?
a. Rassurance
b. Relaxation therapy
c. Quetiapine
d. Lofepramine
e. Fluoxetine
Q. 1. What is the key
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Q. 3. What are the points in favour of your diagnosis?
Ans. 1 The key is E. Fluoxetine. [NICE guidelines suggest that trauma-focussed psychological therapies (CBT or EMDR) should be offered before medication, wherever possible. As these are not in option the best answer here is Fluoxetine (SSRI). At present, there is evidence that EMDR, psychotherapy, behaviour therapy and antidepressants are all effective. There is not enough information for us to say that one of these treatments is better than another].
Ans. 2. The diagnosis is post traumatic stress disorder.
Ans. 3. Points in favour of PTSD: i) H/O stressor (house fire a year ago) ii) Nightmares of the stressor iii) Hyper arousal (very anxious and inability to relax (leading to irritability) iv) associated depression (poor sleep, tearful).
Note: Fluoxetin and peroxetin are the drugs of choice in PTSD. CBT is t
A 22yo woman with longstanding constipation has severe ano-rectal pain on defecation. Rectal exam: impossible due to pain and spasm. What is the most probable dx?
a. Anal hematoma
b. Anal fissure
c. Anal abscess
d. Protalgia fugax
e. Hemorrhoids
Ans. The key is B. Anal fissure.
he non-pharmacological treatment.
A 20yo student attends the OPD with complaint of breathlessness on and off, cough and sputum. His sleep is disturbed and skin is very dry in flexural areas of the body. Exam: tachypnea, hyperresonant percussion and wheezing on auscultation. What is the most likely dx?
a. Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
b. Asthma
c. Wegener’s granulomatosis
d. COPD
e. Cystic fibrosis
Q. What is the key?
Q. What are the diagnostic criteria?
Ans. The key is B. Asthma.
Ans. 2. Diagnostic criteria of asthma: i) Airway hyper-responsiveness to certain stimuli ii) Recurrent variable airflow limitation usually reversible iii) presents as wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough.
A pt with thought disorder washes hands 6x each time he uses the toilet. What is the best management?
a. Psychodynamic therapy
b. CBT
c. Antipsychotics
d. Refer to dermatology
e. Reassure
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is B. CBT. [For OCD CBT is the 1st treatment of choice and if fails comes drugs].
Ans. 2. The diagnosis is obsessive compulsive disorder.
A 25yo woman presented to her GP on a routine check up. Upon vaginal exam, she was fine except for finding of cervical ectropion which was painless but mild contact bleeding on touch.
What is the next management?
a. Endometrial ablation
b. Cervical smear (2nd line)
c. Colposcopy
d. Antibiotics (1st line)
e. Vaginal US
f. Pack with gauze and leave to dry
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. Points in favour correct of key.
Ans. The key is D. Antibiotics. This is a wrong key. The correct key is B. Cervical smear. [Before antibiotic we have to take swab].
Ans. 2. Cervical smear is a screaning service which follows its own schedule and can not be done unless it is due or overdue. As the Lady is of 25 years and has ectropion and contact bleeding smear is the best option here as in UK 1st smear is offered at 25 yrs.
A 32yo had a normal vaginal delivery 10 days ago. Her uterus has involuted normally. Choose the single most likely predisposing factor for PPH?
a. Retained product
b. DIC
c. Uterine infection
d. Von Willebrand disease
e. Primary PPH
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What type of PPH it would be?
Ans. 1. The key is C. uterine infection.
Ans. 2. Secondary PPH
A 37yo man slipped while he was walking home and fell on his out stretched hand. He complains of pain in the right arm. XR showed fx of the head of radius. What is the single most associated nerve injury?
a. Radial nerve
b. Musculocutaneous nerve
c. Median nerve
d. Ulnar nerve
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the root value?
Ans. 1. The key is A. Radial nerve. [At wrist, radial nerve injury cause finger drop with a normal wrist and intact sensation].
Ans. 2. Root value of radial nerve: C5,6,7,8 and T1.
A butcher stabbed accidently his groin. He bled so much that the towel was soaked in blood and BP=80/50mmHg, pulse=130bpm. What % of circulatory blood did he lose?
a. <15%
b. 15-30%
c. 30-40%
d. 40-50%
e. >50%
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the classification of blood loss according to vita sign?
Ans. 1. The key is C. 30-40%
Ans. 2. Classification:
- Class 1 up to 15% of blood volume lost: pulse <100; systolic BP normal; pulse pressure normal; Respiratory rate 14-20; urine output greater than 30 ml/hour.
- Class 2 15%-30% blood volume lost: pulse 100-120; systolic blood pressure normal; pulse pressure decreased; respiratory rate 20-30; urine output 20-30 ml/hour.
- Class 3 30%-40% blood volume lost: pulse 120-140; systolic BP decreased; pulse pressure decreased, respiratory rate 30-40; urine output 5-15 ml/hr
- Class 4, blood loss of greater than 40%: pulse rate >140; systolic BP decreased; pulse pressure decreased’ respiratory rate >35; urine output negligible.
A 67yo man presents with palpitations. ECG shows an irregular rhythm and HR=140bpm. He is otherwise stable, BP=124/80mmHg. What is the most appropriate management?
a. Bisoprolol
b. ACEi
c. Ramipril
d. Digoxin
Ans. The key is A. Bisoprolol. [In acute AF (<48h) if stable rate control by verapamil 40-120mg/8hourly po or bisoprolol 2.5-5mg/d po. In chronic AF (>48h) rate control with beta-blocker or rate limiting CCB; OHCM, 9th edition, page-124].
A 78yo man is depressed after his wife’s death. He has been neglecting himself. His son found him in a miserable state when he went to visit. The son can’t deal with his father. What is the appropriate management?
a. Voluntary admission to psychiatry ward
b. Hand over to social worker
c. Request son to move in with father
d. Send pt to care home
Ans. The key is A. Voluntary admission to psychiatry ward. [This is much too a controversial question!! Patient is neglecting himself and is in a measerable state. His son can’t deal with the patient! So it seems impossible for care home staff to deal with him and social worker as well. If son move in with father will be of no benefit as he can not deal with the patient. So voluntary admission to psychiatry ward is the only option to which we can look but still with doubt as whether he is able to understand or give consent for voluntary admission. Even though A seems to be the likely option!!]
An old alcoholic presents with cough, fever, bilateral cavitating consolidation. What is the most probable cause?
a. Gram +ve diplococcic
b. Coagulase +ve cocci
c. Gram –ve cocci
d. AFB
e. Coagulase –ve cocci
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the organism?
Ans. 1. The key is B. Coagulase +ve cocci. [The picture is of pneumonia and bilateral cavitating consolidation favours staphylococcus as the causative agent].
Ans. 2. Name of organism is Staphylococcus aureus. [Both coagulase positive and coagulase negative cocci are staphylococci. Gram positive diplococcic is pneumococcus and gram negative nisseria, moraxella catarrhalis and hemophilus influenza. For AFB there should be low grade evening fever with night sweats, weight loss, anorexia etc].
A 67yo man had successful thrombolysis for an inf MI 1 month ago and was discharged after 5days. He is now readmitted with pulmonary edema. What is the most probable dx?
a. Aortic regurgitation
b. Ischemic mitral regurgitation
c. Mitral valve prolapse
d. Pulmonary stenosis
e. Rheumatic mitral valve stenosis
Ans. The key is B. Ischaemic mitral regurgitation. [ischaemic mitral regurgitation > raised pulmonary capillary pressure > pulmonary oedema]. [ Inferior myocardial infarction causes left ventricular remodeling, which displaces posterior papillary muscle away from its normal position, leading to ischemic mitral regurgitation].
A 60yo lady who had stroke 3 years ago now reports having increased dyspnea on exertion and atrial fibrillation. CXR: straight left border on the cardiac silhouette. What is the most probable dx?
a. Aortic regurgitation
b. Ischemic mitral regurgitation
c. Mitral valve prolapse
d. Pulmonary stenosis
e. Rheumatic mitral valve stenosis
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What are the points in favour of your answer?
Ans. 1. The key is E. Rheumatic mitral valve stenosis.
Ans. 2. Points in favour: i) Dyspnoea on exertion ii) Straight left border of the cardiac silhouette. To straighten the left heart border it requires underfilling of the left ventricle and aorta which occurs in mitral stenosis. Iii) Atrial fibrillation is a common association.
A 60yo diabetic complains of pain in thigh and gluteal region on walking up the stairs for the last 6 months. She is a heavy smoker and has ischemic heart disease. What is the most appropriate dx?
a. Thromboangitis Obliterans
b. Sciatica
c. DVT
d. Atherosclerosis
e. Embolus
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What are the points in favour?
Ans. 1. The key is D. Atherosclerosis.
Ans. 2. i) It is not sciatica as sciatica pain is worse when sitting. There may be weakness, numbness, difficulty moving the leg or foot. A constant pain on one side of the rear. A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up. ii) It is not DVT as no swelling, warmth or redness of skin are there iii) It is not thromboangitis obliterans as pulses are ok, no colour change or reduced hair growth, no ulceration or gangrene iv) not embolism as no pain (rest pain), no numbness, no redness or itching or rash, no ulceration of skin.
A 3yo child who looks wasted on examination has a hx of diarrhea on and off. The mother describes the stool as bulky, frothy and difficult to flush. What is the single inv most likely to lead to dx?
a. Sweat chloride test
b. Anti-endomysial antibodies
c. LFT
d. US abdomen
e. TFT
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is B. Anti-endomysial antibody
Ans. 2. The diagnosis is celiac disease. [It is not cystic fibrosis as lung problem is most commonly seen in cystic fibrosis along with GI problem like indigestion].
A 45yo woman has had severe epigastric and right hypochondrial pain for a few hours. She has a normal CBC, serum ALP is raised, normal transaminase. 3 months ago she had a cholecystectomy done. What is the most appropriate inv?
a. US abdomen
b. ERCP
c. MRCP
d. CT abdomen
e. Upper GI endoscopy
Q. 1. What is the key?
Q. 2. What is the diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is B. ERCP. It is probably a wrong key and correct key should be C. MRCP. [Post operative US of abdomen does not give good result for hepatobiliary system. ERCP is invasive procedure and it has its considerable complications like cholangitis, injury, pancreatitis etc. Among given options MRCP is most appropriate. We shall go for ERCP after making the dx confirm. For this MRCP is preferred. If the question asks which is the “DEFINITIVE” or the “MOST DIAGNOSTIC” then the option will be ERCP].
Ans. 2. Diagnosis is choledocolithiasis.
A 53yo woman presented with pain in the eye, blurry vision and clumsiness for 3 months. She has a hx of difficulty in swallowing and weakness in her right upper limb 2y ago. What is the inv of choice?
a. CSF analysis
b. EEG
c. EMG
d. MRI brain
e. Visual evoked response test
Q. What is the key?
Q. What is the diagnosis?
Ans. 1. The key is D. MRI brain.
Ans. 2. Diagnosis is multiple sclerosis.