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Question 1
Incorrect
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A newborn baby is referred by the community midwife who is concerned the baby is jaundiced because of the yellow appearance of his eyes and skin following a postnatal home visit. The jaundice is visible in the baby’s feet making her worried.
Jaundice are visible in the extremities of neonates at what approximate threshold bilirubin level?Your Answer: 185 μmol/L
Correct Answer: 255 μmol/L
Explanation:Newborn babies have a higher concentration of red blood cells with shorter lifespan leading to higher bilirubin levels than in adults. This condition is short-lived and harmless but with potential serious causes that need to be assessed for if present.
The most obvious physical sign of jaundice is a yellow discolouration of the sclera, skin and mucous membranes. At a bilirubin level of 35 μmol/L or higher, the eye is affected. The bilirubin level will need to be higher than 255 μmol/L for the feet and extremities to be affected.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- General Pathology
- Pathology
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Question 2
Incorrect
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A 4-year old boy is taken to the emergency room after a sudden onset of coughing and wheezing. Further investigation reveals that he was drawing quietly in his room, when suddenly, he became anxious and started coughing. The parents also noted that the eraser on top of the pencil was missing.
A plain radiographic chest imaging is conducted, and confirmed foreign body aspiration.
Which of the following areas in the tracheobronchial tree is the most probable location of the aspirated eraser?Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Right main bronchus
Explanation:In foreign body aspiration, the foreign body is more likely to enter the right main bronchus because it is shorter, wider and more vertical than the left main bronchus. In a patient who is standing or sitting, the foreign body tends to become lodged in the posterobasal segment of the inferior lobe of the right lung.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Anatomy
- Thorax
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Question 3
Incorrect
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A 57-year-old male presents to the orthopaedic clinic complaining of pain and swelling in the left knee joint. On examination, the left knee is swollen, tender and erythematous. The patient is booked for joint aspiration, and a diagnosis of pseudogout is made following the aspiration.
Which types of crystals would be seen in the joint aspirate to lead to this diagnosis?Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Positively birefringent brick-shaped crystals
Explanation:Gout and pseudogout are both characterised by crystal deposition in the affected joints. The deposition of urate crystals causes gout, while calcium pyrophosphate crystals cause pseudogout. The crystals can be distinguished microscopically because urate crystals are negatively birefringent needle-shaped crystals, whilst calcium pyrophosphate crystals are positively birefringent brick-shaped crystals.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- General Pathology
- Pathology
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Question 4
Incorrect
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In the emergency room, a 28-year-old woman complains of wobbly and slurred speech, is unable to do the heel-shin test, and has nystagmus. The following signs are most likely related to damage to which of the following areas:
Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Cerebellum
Explanation:Cerebellar injury causes delayed and disorganized motions. When walking, people with cerebellar abnormalities sway and stagger.
Damage to the cerebellum can cause asynergia, the inability to judge distance and when to stop, dysmetria, the inability to perform rapid alternating movements or adiadochokinesia, movement tremors, staggering, wide-based walking or ataxic gait, a proclivity to fall, weak muscles or hypotonia, slurred speech or ataxic dysarthria, and abnormal eye movements or nystagmus.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Anatomy
- Central Nervous System
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Question 5
Incorrect
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Which of the following statements is correct regarding gentamicin?
Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Gentamicin is ineffective against anaerobic bacteria.
Explanation:Gentamicin is the aminoglycoside of choice and is a parenterally administered, broad spectrum antibiotic typically used for moderate to severe gram negative infections. However, it is inactive against anaerobes. There is poor activity against haemolytic streptococci and pneumococci. It is usually given in conjunction with a penicillin or metronidazole (or both) when used for the blind treatment of undiagnosed serious infections. Nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity are the main toxic effects due to damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII).
It is contraindicated in myasthenia gravis and should be used with great care in renal disease as it may result in accumulation and a higher risk of toxic side effects.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Infections
- Pharmacology
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Question 6
Incorrect
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Cardiac myocytes contract by excitation-contraction coupling, very much like skeletal myocytes. On the other hand, calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) is a mechanism that is unique to Cardiac myocytes. The influx of calcium ions (Ca 2+) into the cell causes a 'calcium spark,' which causes more ions to be released into the cytoplasm.
In CICR, which membrane protein in the sarcoplasmic reticulum is involved?Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Ryanodine receptor
Explanation:Cardiac myocytes contract by excitation-contraction coupling, just like skeletal myocytes. Heart myocytes, on the other hand, utilise a calcium-induced calcium release mechanism that is unique to cardiac muscle (CICR). The influx of calcium ions (Ca2+) into the cell causes a ‘calcium spark,’ which causes more ions to be released into the cytoplasm.
An influx of sodium ions induces an initial depolarisation, much as it does in skeletal muscle; however, in cardiac muscle, the inflow of Ca2+ sustains the depolarisation, allowing it to remain longer. Due to potassium ion (K+) inflow, CICR causes a plateau phase in which the cells remain depolarized for a short time before repolarizing. Skeletal muscle, on the other hand, repolarizes almost instantly.
The release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum is required for calcium-induced calcium release (CICR). This is mostly accomplished by ryanodine receptors (RyR) on the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane; Ca2+ binds to RyR, causing additional Ca2+ to be released.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Basic Cellular Physiology
- Physiology
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Question 7
Incorrect
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An elderly man with chronic heart and lung disease develops Legionnaires' disease. Which of the following clinical features is NOT typical of Legionnaires' disease:
Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Confusion
Explanation:Legionella pneumophilais a Gram negative bacterium that is found in natural water supplies and in the soil, transmitted predominantly via inhalation of aerosols generated from contaminated water (direct person-to-person spread of infected patients does not occur). It is the cause of Legionnaires’ disease. Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease have been linked to poorly maintained air conditioning systems, whirlpool spas and hot tubs.
The clinical features of the pneumonic form of Legionnaires’ disease include:
Mild flu-like prodrome for 1-3 days
Cough (usually non-productive and occurs in approximately 90%)
Pleuritic chest pain
Haemoptysis
Headache
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
AnorexiaLegionella pneumophilainfections can be successfully treated with macrolide antibiotics, such as erythromycin, or quinolones, such as ciprofloxacin. Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, can also be used.
The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) can occur with Legionnaires’ disease and will result in hyponatraemia as is seen in this case.
Legionella pneumophilainfections are resistant to amoxicillin but can be successfully treated with macrolide antibiotics, such as erythromycin, or quinolones, such as ciprofloxacin. Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, can also be used. The majority of cases of Legionnaires’ disease are caused by Legionella pneumophila, however many other species of Legionella have been identified.
Legionella longbeachae is another less commonly encountered species that has also been implicated in outbreaks. It is predominantly found in soil and potting compost, and has caused outbreaks of Pontiac fever, the non-respiratory and less severe variant of Legionnaires’ disease. -
This question is part of the following fields:
- Microbiology
- Pathogens
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Question 8
Incorrect
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Which of the following medications may lessen warfarin's anticoagulant effect:
Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Phenytoin
Explanation:Phenytoin will decrease the level or effect of warfarin by affecting hepatic/intestinal enzyme CYP3A4 metabolism.
Metronidazole will increase the level or effect of warfarin by affecting hepatic enzyme CYP2C9/10 metabolism.
NSAIDs, when given with Warfarin, increase anticoagulation. -
This question is part of the following fields:
- Cardiovascular
- Pharmacology
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Question 9
Incorrect
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In which of the following cases is intravenous phenytoin contraindicated?
Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Second degree heart block
Explanation:Phenytoin Contraindications include:
Hypersensitivity
Sinus bradycardia
Sinoatrial block
Second and third degree A-V block
Adams-Stokes syndrome
Concurrent use with delavirdine
History of prior acute hepatotoxicity attributable to phenytoin -
This question is part of the following fields:
- Central Nervous System
- Pharmacology
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Question 10
Incorrect
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The patient is a 66-year-old woman who has troublesome bilateral ankle swelling. This has been happening since she began taking a new antihypertensive medication a few weeks ago.
Which of the following medications is most likely to be the cause of this adverse reaction?Your Answer:
Correct Answer: Amlodipine
Explanation:Amlodipine is a calcium-channel blocker that is frequently used to treat hypertension. Ankle swelling is a very common side effect of calcium-channel blockers, and it occurs quite frequently.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Pharmacology
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