Questions and Answers
Q1. What is the gold standard for the suspected diagnosis of Celiac Disease?
Answer: Endoscopy with small intestine biopsy
Rationale: Endoscopy with small intestine biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing Celiac
Disease. It allows for visualization of the small intestine and biopsy of tissue to detect the
characteristic damage caused by gluten intolerance.
Q2. What type of genetic mutation does this patient have, given that osimertinib (Tagrisso)
was started?
Answer: EGFR mutation
Rationale: Osimertinib (Tagrisso) is a targeted therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer that
specifically targets and inhibits the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutation. This
mutation is often found in patients with advanced lung cancer.
Q3. Which condition is likely causing these symptoms in the 20-year-old male?
Answer: Becker muscular dystrophy
Rationale: Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a genetic disorder that causes progressive
muscle weakness, often starting in the lower limbs. The patient's symptoms, including
difficulty with movement, falls, and muscle stiffness, align with BMD.
Q4. What should the provider say about the pathophysiology of SLE and its relation to
thrombocytopenia?
Answer: SLE disrupts immune homeostasis and promotes development of self-reactive
antibodies.
Rationale: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that disrupts
immune homeostasis and leads to the development of self-reactive antibodies. These
antibodies can attack various tissues, including platelets, causing thrombocytopenia.
, Q5. What should the provider do next for the patient with elevated ferritin?
Answer: Order a liver function test
Rationale: Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant and can be elevated in conditions like iron
overload or liver disease. Since ferritin is an acute-phase reactant, ordering a liver function
test helps assess the liver's role in storing iron and managing metabolism.
Q6. What can be ascertained from the patient's findings with an irregular heart rate of 130?
Answer: She is diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and needs her heart rate controlled with
metoprolol (Lopressor).
Rationale: A heart rate of 130 with an irregular rhythm is indicative of atrial fibrillation
(AFib). The use of metoprolol (Lopressor) is appropriate to control the ventricular response
and slow the heart rate in AFib.
Q7. Which condition is contributing to the loss of contractility in this patient?
Answer: Acute myocardial infarction
Rationale: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) damages the heart muscle, leading to loss of
contractility. This affects the heart’s ability to pump effectively, contributing to reduced
cardiac output.
Q8. Which condition is this patient suffering from based on the clinical presentation?
Answer: Diabetic ketoacidosis
Rationale: The clinical presentation of shortness of breath (SOB), rapid breathing, and a
history of diabetes suggests diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is characterized by
uncontrolled blood glucose and the accumulation of ketones, leading to metabolic acidosis.
Q9. Which lab abnormality would be present in this patient with Cushing disease?
Answer: Increased cortisol
Rationale: Cushing disease is caused by an overproduction of cortisol, often due to a
pituitary tumor that secretes excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This results
in elevated cortisol levels.