COMPLETE BOC: ASCP PREP
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
SOLUTIONS 2024
1) Following overnight fasting, hypoglycemia in adults is defined as a glucose of:
a. <70 mg/dL (<3.9 mmol/L)
b. <60 mg/dL (<3.3mmol/L)
c. <55 mg/dL (<3.0mmol/L)
d. <45mg/dL (<2.5mmol/L) - ANSWER d (Diagnosis of hypoglycemia in adults.)
3) The preparation of a patient for standard glucose tolerance testing should include:
a. a high carbohydrate diet for 3 days
b. a low carbohydrate diet for 3 days
c. fasting for 48 hrs. prior to testing
d. bed rest for 3 days - ANSWER a (GTT diet preparation.)
4) If a fasting glucose was 90 mg/dL, which of the following 2 hr. postprandial glucose result would most
closely represent normal glucose metabolism?
a. 55 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L)
b. 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L)
c. 180 mg/dL (9.9 mmol/L)
d. 260 mg/dL (14.3 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Normal 2 hour postprandial value.)
5) A healthy person with a blood glucose of 80 mg/dL (4.4 mmol/L) would have a simultaneously
determined cerebrospinal fluid glucose value of:
a. 25 mg/dL (1.4 mmol/L)
b. 50 mg/dL (2.3 mmol/L)
c. 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L)
d. 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Ratio of CSF glucose to blood glucose)
,6) A 25 yr. old man became nauseated and vomited 90 mins after receiving a standard 75 g carbohydrate
dose for an oral glucose tolerance test. The best course of action is to:
a. give the patient a glass of orange juice and continue the test
b. start the test over immediately with a 50 g carbohydrate dose
c. draw blood for glucose and discontinue the test
d. place the patient in a recumbent position, reassure him and continue the test. - ANSWER c (Use of
partial GTT information.)
7) Cerebrospinal fluid for glucose assay should be:
a. refrigerated
b. analyzed immediately
c. heated to 56C
d. stored at room temperature after centrifugation - ANSWER b (Effect of glycolysis on glucose.)
8) Which of the following 2 hr. postprandial glucose values demonstrates unequivocal hyperglycemia
diagnostic for diabetes mellitus?
a. 160 mg/dL (8.8 mmol/L)
b. 170 mg/dL (9.4 mmol/L)
c. 180 mg/dL (9.9 mmol/L)
d. 200 mg/dL (11.0 mmol/L) - ANSWER d (Unequivocal diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.)
10) A 45 yr. old woman has a fasting serum glucose concentration of 95 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) and a 2 hr.
postprandial glucose concentration of 105 mg/dL (5.8 mmol/L). The statement which best describes this
patient's fasting serum glucose concentration is:
a. normal; reflecting glycogen breakdown by the liver
b. normal; reflecting glycogen breakdown by skeletal muscle
c. abnormal; indication diabetes mellitus
d. abnormal; indicating hypoglycemia - ANSWER a (Factors contributing to PBS.)
9) Serum levels that define hypoglycemia in pre-term or low birth weight infants are:
,a. the same as adults
b. lower than adults
c. the same as a normal full-term infant
d. higher than a normal full-term infant - ANSWER b (Age effect on glucose.)
11) Pregnant women with symptoms of thirst, frequent urination or unexplained weight loos should
have which of the following tests performed?
a. tolbutamide test
b. lactose tolerance test
c. epinephrine tolerance test
d. glucose tolerance test - ANSWER d (Gestational diabetes.)
12) In the fasting state, the arterial and capillary blood glucose concentration varies from the venous
glucose concentration by approximately how many mg/dL (mmol/L)
a. 1 mg/dL (0.05 mmol/L)
b. 5 mg/dL (0.27 mmol/L)
c. 10 mg/dL (0.55 mmol/L)
d. 15 mg/dL (0.82 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Arterial vs venous glucose values.)
13) The conversion of glucose or other hexoses into lactate or pyruvate is called:
a. glycogenesis
b. glycogenolysis
c. gluconeogenesis
d. glycolysis - ANSWER d (Definition of glycolysis)
14) Which of the following values obtained during a glucose tolerance test are diagnostic of diabetes
mellitus?
a. 2 hr. specimen = 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L)
b. fasting plasma glucose = 126 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L)
c. fasting plasma glucose = 110 mg/dL (6.1 mmol/L)
, d. 2 hr. specimen = 180 mg/dL (9.9 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus)
15) The glycated hemoglobin value represents the integrated values of glucose concentration during the
preceding:
a. 1-3 weeks
b. 4-5 weeks
c. 6-8 weeks
d. 16-20 weeks - ANSWER c (Definition of glycated hemoglobin.)
16) Monitoring long term glucose control in patients with adult onset diabetes mellitus can best be
accomplished by measuring:
a. weekly fasting 7 am serum glucose
b. glucose tolerance testing
c. 2 hr. postprandial serum glucose
d. hemoglobin A1c - ANSWER d (Average glucose over time is best predictor.)
18) Total glycosylated hemoglobin levels in a hemolysate reflect the:
a. average blood glucose levels of the past 2-3 months
b. average blood glucose levels for the past week
c. blood glucose level at the time the sample is drawn
d. hemoglobin A1c level at the time the sample is drawn - ANSWER a (Interpretation of glycated
hemoglobin.)
19) Which of the following hemoglobins has glucose-6-phosphate on the amino-terminal valine of the
beta chain?
a. S
b. C
c. A2
d. A1c - ANSWER d (Hgb A1C structure.)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
SOLUTIONS 2024
1) Following overnight fasting, hypoglycemia in adults is defined as a glucose of:
a. <70 mg/dL (<3.9 mmol/L)
b. <60 mg/dL (<3.3mmol/L)
c. <55 mg/dL (<3.0mmol/L)
d. <45mg/dL (<2.5mmol/L) - ANSWER d (Diagnosis of hypoglycemia in adults.)
3) The preparation of a patient for standard glucose tolerance testing should include:
a. a high carbohydrate diet for 3 days
b. a low carbohydrate diet for 3 days
c. fasting for 48 hrs. prior to testing
d. bed rest for 3 days - ANSWER a (GTT diet preparation.)
4) If a fasting glucose was 90 mg/dL, which of the following 2 hr. postprandial glucose result would most
closely represent normal glucose metabolism?
a. 55 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L)
b. 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L)
c. 180 mg/dL (9.9 mmol/L)
d. 260 mg/dL (14.3 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Normal 2 hour postprandial value.)
5) A healthy person with a blood glucose of 80 mg/dL (4.4 mmol/L) would have a simultaneously
determined cerebrospinal fluid glucose value of:
a. 25 mg/dL (1.4 mmol/L)
b. 50 mg/dL (2.3 mmol/L)
c. 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L)
d. 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Ratio of CSF glucose to blood glucose)
,6) A 25 yr. old man became nauseated and vomited 90 mins after receiving a standard 75 g carbohydrate
dose for an oral glucose tolerance test. The best course of action is to:
a. give the patient a glass of orange juice and continue the test
b. start the test over immediately with a 50 g carbohydrate dose
c. draw blood for glucose and discontinue the test
d. place the patient in a recumbent position, reassure him and continue the test. - ANSWER c (Use of
partial GTT information.)
7) Cerebrospinal fluid for glucose assay should be:
a. refrigerated
b. analyzed immediately
c. heated to 56C
d. stored at room temperature after centrifugation - ANSWER b (Effect of glycolysis on glucose.)
8) Which of the following 2 hr. postprandial glucose values demonstrates unequivocal hyperglycemia
diagnostic for diabetes mellitus?
a. 160 mg/dL (8.8 mmol/L)
b. 170 mg/dL (9.4 mmol/L)
c. 180 mg/dL (9.9 mmol/L)
d. 200 mg/dL (11.0 mmol/L) - ANSWER d (Unequivocal diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.)
10) A 45 yr. old woman has a fasting serum glucose concentration of 95 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) and a 2 hr.
postprandial glucose concentration of 105 mg/dL (5.8 mmol/L). The statement which best describes this
patient's fasting serum glucose concentration is:
a. normal; reflecting glycogen breakdown by the liver
b. normal; reflecting glycogen breakdown by skeletal muscle
c. abnormal; indication diabetes mellitus
d. abnormal; indicating hypoglycemia - ANSWER a (Factors contributing to PBS.)
9) Serum levels that define hypoglycemia in pre-term or low birth weight infants are:
,a. the same as adults
b. lower than adults
c. the same as a normal full-term infant
d. higher than a normal full-term infant - ANSWER b (Age effect on glucose.)
11) Pregnant women with symptoms of thirst, frequent urination or unexplained weight loos should
have which of the following tests performed?
a. tolbutamide test
b. lactose tolerance test
c. epinephrine tolerance test
d. glucose tolerance test - ANSWER d (Gestational diabetes.)
12) In the fasting state, the arterial and capillary blood glucose concentration varies from the venous
glucose concentration by approximately how many mg/dL (mmol/L)
a. 1 mg/dL (0.05 mmol/L)
b. 5 mg/dL (0.27 mmol/L)
c. 10 mg/dL (0.55 mmol/L)
d. 15 mg/dL (0.82 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Arterial vs venous glucose values.)
13) The conversion of glucose or other hexoses into lactate or pyruvate is called:
a. glycogenesis
b. glycogenolysis
c. gluconeogenesis
d. glycolysis - ANSWER d (Definition of glycolysis)
14) Which of the following values obtained during a glucose tolerance test are diagnostic of diabetes
mellitus?
a. 2 hr. specimen = 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L)
b. fasting plasma glucose = 126 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L)
c. fasting plasma glucose = 110 mg/dL (6.1 mmol/L)
, d. 2 hr. specimen = 180 mg/dL (9.9 mmol/L) - ANSWER b (Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus)
15) The glycated hemoglobin value represents the integrated values of glucose concentration during the
preceding:
a. 1-3 weeks
b. 4-5 weeks
c. 6-8 weeks
d. 16-20 weeks - ANSWER c (Definition of glycated hemoglobin.)
16) Monitoring long term glucose control in patients with adult onset diabetes mellitus can best be
accomplished by measuring:
a. weekly fasting 7 am serum glucose
b. glucose tolerance testing
c. 2 hr. postprandial serum glucose
d. hemoglobin A1c - ANSWER d (Average glucose over time is best predictor.)
18) Total glycosylated hemoglobin levels in a hemolysate reflect the:
a. average blood glucose levels of the past 2-3 months
b. average blood glucose levels for the past week
c. blood glucose level at the time the sample is drawn
d. hemoglobin A1c level at the time the sample is drawn - ANSWER a (Interpretation of glycated
hemoglobin.)
19) Which of the following hemoglobins has glucose-6-phosphate on the amino-terminal valine of the
beta chain?
a. S
b. C
c. A2
d. A1c - ANSWER d (Hgb A1C structure.)
