Respiratory System - Symptoms and Signs

Question 1

What is commonly noted with smokers?

Answer 1

Morning cough with little sputum production

Question 2

What is a cardinal feature of chronic bronchitis?

Answer 2

Productive cough

Question 3

What is a key feature of asthma?

Answer 3

Dry, nocturnal cough - often noted with mild exertion/forced expiration

Question 4

What is a worsening cough indicative of?

Answer 4

Lung cancer

Question 5

Name the specific type of cough that may occur from a patient with a pancost lung carcinoma?

Answer 5

Bovine cough - normal explosive nature of cough is lost due to infiltration of the recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 6

Define normal sputum production?

Answer 6

100ml/day

Question 7

What is a key feature of bronchiectasis?

Answer 7

Large quantities of green/yellow sputum

Question 8

Name two of the commonest causes of mild haemoptysis?

Answer 8

Exacerbation of COPD

Acute infection

Question 9

Name four other causes of haemoptysis?

Answer 9

Pulmonary infarct
Pulmonary embolism
Lung carcinoma
TB

Question 10

Which condition produces rusty coloured sputum?

Answer 10

Lobar pneumonia

Question 11

Which condition produces pink and frothy sputum?

Answer 11

Pulmonary oedema

Question 12

Which condition may produce a mixture of bloody and purulent sputum?

Answer 12

Bronchiectasis (large quantities) - green/yellow/reddy

Question 13

Define massive haemoptysis and name the two commonest causes for this?

Answer 13

> 200ml/24hours
Bronchiectasis
TB

Question 14

What is Goodpasture’s syndrome?

Answer 14

Autoimmune disease affecting the basement membranes of the lungs and kidneys
Patients present with haemoptysis and kidney failure

Question 15

Name two specific respiratory symptoms indicative of heart failure?

Answer 15

Orthopnoea - breathlessness lying down

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea - acute episodes of SOB at night

Question 16

Name three common causes for a wheeze?

Answer 16

End stage asthma
COPD
Bronchiolitis

Question 17

Where is irritation of diaphragmatic pleura referred to?

Answer 17

Shoulder tip pain

Question 18

Name four respiratory causes of finger clubbing?

Answer 18

Bronchial carcinoma
Suppurative lung diseases (CF/bronchiectasis/empyema)
Pulmonary fibrosis
Plural and mediastinal tumours (mesothiliomas)

Question 19

Name two CVD causes of finger clubbing?

Answer 19

Atrial myxoma

Subacute infective endocarditis

Question 20

Name two GI causes of finger clubbing?

Answer 20

IBD

Cirrhosis

Question 21

In which conditions may the patient present with bronchial breathing?

Answer 21

Collapsed lung

Consolidated lung

Question 22

When might an end-inspiratory wheeze be heard?

Answer 22

Obliterative brochiolitis (squeek)

Question 23

What are early inspiratory crackles indicative of?

Answer 23

Diffuse airflow limitation

Question 24

What are late inspiratory crackles indicative of?

Answer 24

Pulmonary oedema
Lung fibrosis
Bronchiectasis