ALU 301 STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA) or anti-Saccharomyces
cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) - ✔✔Serologic markers that can help with diagnosis
✔✔Arthritis - ✔✔most common extraintestinal manifestation of
IBD
✔✔Anemia
ocular manifestations
skin manifestations
thromboembolic complications
pulmonary complications
liver and bile ducts can be affected - ✔✔other manifestations of IBD include
✔✔-Toxic megacolon (more common in UC)
-Fistulas (more common in CD) - ✔✔Complications of IBD
✔✔cancer arises from flat dysplastic tissue that is virtually normal in appearance -
✔✔premalignant lesion in IBD is not generally a polyp instead
✔✔5-aminosalicylate-based compounds - ✔✔mainstay of acute treatment for mild to
moderate disease in both UC and CD
✔✔Corticosteroids - ✔✔are effective for acute flares of moderate to severe IBD when
the 5-aminosalicylate compounds are inadequate
✔✔proctocolectomy -removal of colon and rectum in contrast surgical therapy in CD is
palliative only - ✔✔Surgical therapy for UC is curative and eliminates the risk of colon
cancer
✔✔-extent and severity of the disease
-age at onset
-date of last attack
-current therapy
-extraintestinal manifestations
-type and extent of surgery - ✔✔Underwriting considerations for UC
✔✔-age of onset
-date of last exacerbation
-treatment of medications
-surgical history
-extent and severity of disease
,-complications including malabsorption
-extraintestinal manifestations
-indication of how the individual functions in their daily lives - ✔✔Underwriting
considerations for CD
✔✔Rheumatoid Arthritis - ✔✔Chronic inflammatory polyarthritis of unknown etiology
that targets the synovial tissue of movable joints
✔✔-genetic
-environmental
-immunologic
-hormonal
-infectious - ✔✔primary factors of RA
✔✔A synovial joint - ✔✔also called diarthrodial joint, is composed of two bones held
together by a fibrous capsule that is lined with synovium
✔✔T-cells/T-helper 1 - believed to be key to the inflammatory process, next B-cells
produce plasma cells that produce antibodies such as RF, then effector cells are
activated causing macrophages and fibroblasts - ✔✔Pathogenesis of RA
✔✔-hypertrophy of the cells
-neo-angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels)
- influx of fluid, producing effusions
-pannus formation (inflammatory tissue ) - ✔✔Chronic synovitis is a progressive
process
✔✔are mediators of cell-to-cell communication that act locally on surround tissues -
✔✔Cytokines
✔✔-TNF-alpha
-and interleukin (1,2,4,6,7)
-interferon gamma - ✔✔pro-inflammatory cytokines
✔✔-proximal interphalangeal (PIP)
-metacarpophalangeal (MCP)
-- joints of hands
-metatarsophalangeal (MTP) -feet
-wrists and elbows
-shoulders
-ankles and knees - ✔✔Most common joints affected by RA
✔✔-Joint involvement
-Serology (RF or ACPA)
,-acute phase reactants (CRP or ESR)
-Duration of symptoms (> 6 weeks) - ✔✔Classification criteria of RA
✔✔Palindromic rheumatism - ✔✔pattern in which joint pain worsens for a few hours to
days then rapidly remits
✔✔Rheumatoid factor - ✔✔was first autoantibody known
✔✔-Sjogren's syndrome
-mixed connective tissue diseases
-systemic lupus erythematous - ✔✔++ RF can also be seen in other rheumatic diseases
✔✔-Hep B & C
-sarcoidosis
-malignancy
-primary biliary cirrhosis - ✔✔++RF in non-rheumatic disorders
✔✔Anti-cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies (Anti-CCP) -higher levels linked to
greater severity of disease - ✔✔produced early in the disease process and can be
useful when RF negative
✔✔-C-reactive protein (CRP)
-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) - ✔✔Acute phase reactants of RA
✔✔-pleural disease
-rheumatoid nodules
-interstitial lung disease
-small airway disease
-bronchiectasis - ✔✔Most common pulmonary complications of RA are:
✔✔-CAD (leading cause of death in RA)
-pericardial disease - ✔✔Cardiovascular manifestations of RA:
✔✔-NSAIDs
-Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) -methotrexate -gold std for moder
to severe
-Biologics (genetically engineered immunosuppressives)
-Corticosteroids
-Glucocorticoids (prolonged use =negative effects) - ✔✔Treatment of RA
✔✔Renal disease is relatively uncommon in RA - ✔✔Renal disease is relatively
uncommon in RA
, ✔✔-oligoarticular
-polyarticular
-systemic
-psoriatic
-enthesitis-related arthritis - ✔✔Juvenile Arthritis sub-forms
✔✔-same pathogen, same symptoms -in the same disease individuals
-pathogen must be able to be separated from the individual and grow in a culture
-same disease transferred to an experimental animal
-then taken from the experimental animal back to the culture - ✔✔Koch's Postulates to
determine if a disease is attributable to a particular organism
✔✔-sympotamtic individuals
-carriers
-animals
-water ,food, soil, air, fomites - ✔✔Reservoir infective agent lives and multiplies (4)
✔✔-Gram stain (bacteria w/ thick walls and take up stain =gram postive)
-Acid fast stain (organisms that retain the dye after being washed in acid) - ✔✔Direct
Detection Methods
✔✔-bacteria
-viruses
-fungi
-parasites - ✔✔Infectious disease-causing organisms (4)
✔✔-structural & physiological characteristics
-reaction to staining
-need for oxygen - ✔✔Bacteria can be classified in the following ways
✔✔Antibiotics - ✔✔Substances produced by microorganisms that kill other
microorganisms
✔✔-considered non-living (do not have cellular structure)
-fully developed protein coat
-envelop lipids, proteins, carbs
-inserts itself into the nucleus of a host cell
-can contain DNA or RNA (never both) - ✔✔Characteristics of viruses
✔✔yeasts and molds - ✔✔Fungi
✔✔Parasites -need to invade the human body to complete their life cycle -
✔✔organisms that cause disease in humans but are not bacteria viruses, or fungi
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA) or anti-Saccharomyces
cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) - ✔✔Serologic markers that can help with diagnosis
✔✔Arthritis - ✔✔most common extraintestinal manifestation of
IBD
✔✔Anemia
ocular manifestations
skin manifestations
thromboembolic complications
pulmonary complications
liver and bile ducts can be affected - ✔✔other manifestations of IBD include
✔✔-Toxic megacolon (more common in UC)
-Fistulas (more common in CD) - ✔✔Complications of IBD
✔✔cancer arises from flat dysplastic tissue that is virtually normal in appearance -
✔✔premalignant lesion in IBD is not generally a polyp instead
✔✔5-aminosalicylate-based compounds - ✔✔mainstay of acute treatment for mild to
moderate disease in both UC and CD
✔✔Corticosteroids - ✔✔are effective for acute flares of moderate to severe IBD when
the 5-aminosalicylate compounds are inadequate
✔✔proctocolectomy -removal of colon and rectum in contrast surgical therapy in CD is
palliative only - ✔✔Surgical therapy for UC is curative and eliminates the risk of colon
cancer
✔✔-extent and severity of the disease
-age at onset
-date of last attack
-current therapy
-extraintestinal manifestations
-type and extent of surgery - ✔✔Underwriting considerations for UC
✔✔-age of onset
-date of last exacerbation
-treatment of medications
-surgical history
-extent and severity of disease
,-complications including malabsorption
-extraintestinal manifestations
-indication of how the individual functions in their daily lives - ✔✔Underwriting
considerations for CD
✔✔Rheumatoid Arthritis - ✔✔Chronic inflammatory polyarthritis of unknown etiology
that targets the synovial tissue of movable joints
✔✔-genetic
-environmental
-immunologic
-hormonal
-infectious - ✔✔primary factors of RA
✔✔A synovial joint - ✔✔also called diarthrodial joint, is composed of two bones held
together by a fibrous capsule that is lined with synovium
✔✔T-cells/T-helper 1 - believed to be key to the inflammatory process, next B-cells
produce plasma cells that produce antibodies such as RF, then effector cells are
activated causing macrophages and fibroblasts - ✔✔Pathogenesis of RA
✔✔-hypertrophy of the cells
-neo-angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels)
- influx of fluid, producing effusions
-pannus formation (inflammatory tissue ) - ✔✔Chronic synovitis is a progressive
process
✔✔are mediators of cell-to-cell communication that act locally on surround tissues -
✔✔Cytokines
✔✔-TNF-alpha
-and interleukin (1,2,4,6,7)
-interferon gamma - ✔✔pro-inflammatory cytokines
✔✔-proximal interphalangeal (PIP)
-metacarpophalangeal (MCP)
-- joints of hands
-metatarsophalangeal (MTP) -feet
-wrists and elbows
-shoulders
-ankles and knees - ✔✔Most common joints affected by RA
✔✔-Joint involvement
-Serology (RF or ACPA)
,-acute phase reactants (CRP or ESR)
-Duration of symptoms (> 6 weeks) - ✔✔Classification criteria of RA
✔✔Palindromic rheumatism - ✔✔pattern in which joint pain worsens for a few hours to
days then rapidly remits
✔✔Rheumatoid factor - ✔✔was first autoantibody known
✔✔-Sjogren's syndrome
-mixed connective tissue diseases
-systemic lupus erythematous - ✔✔++ RF can also be seen in other rheumatic diseases
✔✔-Hep B & C
-sarcoidosis
-malignancy
-primary biliary cirrhosis - ✔✔++RF in non-rheumatic disorders
✔✔Anti-cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies (Anti-CCP) -higher levels linked to
greater severity of disease - ✔✔produced early in the disease process and can be
useful when RF negative
✔✔-C-reactive protein (CRP)
-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) - ✔✔Acute phase reactants of RA
✔✔-pleural disease
-rheumatoid nodules
-interstitial lung disease
-small airway disease
-bronchiectasis - ✔✔Most common pulmonary complications of RA are:
✔✔-CAD (leading cause of death in RA)
-pericardial disease - ✔✔Cardiovascular manifestations of RA:
✔✔-NSAIDs
-Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) -methotrexate -gold std for moder
to severe
-Biologics (genetically engineered immunosuppressives)
-Corticosteroids
-Glucocorticoids (prolonged use =negative effects) - ✔✔Treatment of RA
✔✔Renal disease is relatively uncommon in RA - ✔✔Renal disease is relatively
uncommon in RA
, ✔✔-oligoarticular
-polyarticular
-systemic
-psoriatic
-enthesitis-related arthritis - ✔✔Juvenile Arthritis sub-forms
✔✔-same pathogen, same symptoms -in the same disease individuals
-pathogen must be able to be separated from the individual and grow in a culture
-same disease transferred to an experimental animal
-then taken from the experimental animal back to the culture - ✔✔Koch's Postulates to
determine if a disease is attributable to a particular organism
✔✔-sympotamtic individuals
-carriers
-animals
-water ,food, soil, air, fomites - ✔✔Reservoir infective agent lives and multiplies (4)
✔✔-Gram stain (bacteria w/ thick walls and take up stain =gram postive)
-Acid fast stain (organisms that retain the dye after being washed in acid) - ✔✔Direct
Detection Methods
✔✔-bacteria
-viruses
-fungi
-parasites - ✔✔Infectious disease-causing organisms (4)
✔✔-structural & physiological characteristics
-reaction to staining
-need for oxygen - ✔✔Bacteria can be classified in the following ways
✔✔Antibiotics - ✔✔Substances produced by microorganisms that kill other
microorganisms
✔✔-considered non-living (do not have cellular structure)
-fully developed protein coat
-envelop lipids, proteins, carbs
-inserts itself into the nucleus of a host cell
-can contain DNA or RNA (never both) - ✔✔Characteristics of viruses
✔✔yeasts and molds - ✔✔Fungi
✔✔Parasites -need to invade the human body to complete their life cycle -
✔✔organisms that cause disease in humans but are not bacteria viruses, or fungi
