BIOD 331 Pathophysiology - Module 8 Exam: Renal and GI Disorders
2026/2027 – Portage Learning
1. Which of the following is the primary cause of prerenal acute kidney injury
(AKI)?
A. Direct damage to the kidney tissue
B. Obstruction of the urinary tract
C. Exposure to nephrotoxic medications
D. Reduced blood flow to the kidneys
Answer: D
Rationale: Prerenal AKI is caused by conditions that impair renal blood flow, such as
hypovolemia, hypotension, or heart failure, leading to decreased glomerular filtration.
2. A patient with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) presents with severe anemia.
What is the most likely physiological cause?
A. Iron deficiency due to poor diet
B. Reduced production of erythropoietin by the kidneys
C. Chronic blood loss in the urine
D. Rapid destruction of red blood cells in the spleen
Answer: B
Rationale: The kidneys produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates red blood cell
production. In CKD, as renal function declines, EPO production decreases, leading to
anemia.
,3. Which clinical manifestation is a hallmark of Nephrotic Syndrome?
A. Gross hematuria (bloody urine)
B. Massive proteinuria (>3.5g/day)
C. Hypotension
D. Elevated hemoglobin levels
Answer: B
Rationale: Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by massive proteinuria,
hypoalbuminemia, and peripheral edema due to increased glomerular permeability.
4. What is the primary mechanism leading to ascites in patients with liver
cirrhosis?
A. Increased serum albumin levels
B. Portal hypertension and hypoalbuminemia
C. Decreased portal vein pressure
D. Decreased antidiuretic hormone secretion
Answer: B
Rationale: Ascites is caused by high pressure in the portal veins (portal hypertension)
forcing fluid out, combined with low albumin levels reducing oncotic pressure.
5. In Crohn’s disease, the inflammation is typically described as:
A. Continuous, affecting only the mucosal layer
B. Non-inflammatory in nature
C. Limited strictly to the rectum and sigmoid colon
D. Transmural with ‘skip lesions’
Answer: D
Rationale: Crohn’s disease is characterized by transmural inflammation (all layers of the
bowel wall) and skip lesions, meaning healthy tissue is found between diseased areas.
, 6. Which of the following describes ‘Melena’?
A. Bright red blood in the stool
B. Vomiting of bright red blood
C. Small amounts of hidden blood in stool
D. Black, tarry, foul-smelling stools
Answer: D
Rationale: Melena refers to dark, tarry stools caused by the digestion of blood from an
upper gastrointestinal source.
7. Hepatic encephalopathy is primarily caused by the accumulation of which
substance in the blood?
A. Bilirubin
B. Glucose
C. Urea
D. Ammonia
Answer: D
Rationale: When the liver cannot convert ammonia into urea, ammonia levels rise and
cross the blood-brain barrier, causing neurotoxic effects known as hepatic encephalopathy.
8. Postrenal acute kidney injury is most commonly caused by:
A. Antibiotic toxicity
B. Renal artery stenosis
C. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
D. Glomerulonephritis
Answer: C
Rationale: Postrenal AKI occurs due to an obstruction below the level of the kidneys, such
as BPH, kidney stones, or tumors, which prevents urine outflow.
2026/2027 – Portage Learning
1. Which of the following is the primary cause of prerenal acute kidney injury
(AKI)?
A. Direct damage to the kidney tissue
B. Obstruction of the urinary tract
C. Exposure to nephrotoxic medications
D. Reduced blood flow to the kidneys
Answer: D
Rationale: Prerenal AKI is caused by conditions that impair renal blood flow, such as
hypovolemia, hypotension, or heart failure, leading to decreased glomerular filtration.
2. A patient with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) presents with severe anemia.
What is the most likely physiological cause?
A. Iron deficiency due to poor diet
B. Reduced production of erythropoietin by the kidneys
C. Chronic blood loss in the urine
D. Rapid destruction of red blood cells in the spleen
Answer: B
Rationale: The kidneys produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates red blood cell
production. In CKD, as renal function declines, EPO production decreases, leading to
anemia.
,3. Which clinical manifestation is a hallmark of Nephrotic Syndrome?
A. Gross hematuria (bloody urine)
B. Massive proteinuria (>3.5g/day)
C. Hypotension
D. Elevated hemoglobin levels
Answer: B
Rationale: Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by massive proteinuria,
hypoalbuminemia, and peripheral edema due to increased glomerular permeability.
4. What is the primary mechanism leading to ascites in patients with liver
cirrhosis?
A. Increased serum albumin levels
B. Portal hypertension and hypoalbuminemia
C. Decreased portal vein pressure
D. Decreased antidiuretic hormone secretion
Answer: B
Rationale: Ascites is caused by high pressure in the portal veins (portal hypertension)
forcing fluid out, combined with low albumin levels reducing oncotic pressure.
5. In Crohn’s disease, the inflammation is typically described as:
A. Continuous, affecting only the mucosal layer
B. Non-inflammatory in nature
C. Limited strictly to the rectum and sigmoid colon
D. Transmural with ‘skip lesions’
Answer: D
Rationale: Crohn’s disease is characterized by transmural inflammation (all layers of the
bowel wall) and skip lesions, meaning healthy tissue is found between diseased areas.
, 6. Which of the following describes ‘Melena’?
A. Bright red blood in the stool
B. Vomiting of bright red blood
C. Small amounts of hidden blood in stool
D. Black, tarry, foul-smelling stools
Answer: D
Rationale: Melena refers to dark, tarry stools caused by the digestion of blood from an
upper gastrointestinal source.
7. Hepatic encephalopathy is primarily caused by the accumulation of which
substance in the blood?
A. Bilirubin
B. Glucose
C. Urea
D. Ammonia
Answer: D
Rationale: When the liver cannot convert ammonia into urea, ammonia levels rise and
cross the blood-brain barrier, causing neurotoxic effects known as hepatic encephalopathy.
8. Postrenal acute kidney injury is most commonly caused by:
A. Antibiotic toxicity
B. Renal artery stenosis
C. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
D. Glomerulonephritis
Answer: C
Rationale: Postrenal AKI occurs due to an obstruction below the level of the kidneys, such
as BPH, kidney stones, or tumors, which prevents urine outflow.
