USMLE Step 2 CK: Acute Pancreatitis Clinical Features and
Diagnosis Questions with Answers (100% Correct Answers)
What are the common etiologies of acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Chronic alcohol use,
gallstones, hyperlipidemia (types I, IV & V), certain drugs (e.g., didanosine, azathioprine,
valproic acid), infections (e.g., cytomegalovirus, Legionella, Aspergillus), trauma, and
iatrogenic causes (post-ERCP).
What are the key clinical presentations of acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Acute epigastric
abdominal pain often radiating to the back, nausea, vomiting, and leukocytosis.
What are the diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Diagnosis requires 2 of the
following: acute epigastric abdominal pain, amylase/lipase levels >3 times the normal limit, and
abdominal imaging showing pancreatic enlargement with heterogeneous enhancement (CT) or
a diffusely enlarged & hypoechoic pancreas (ultrasound).
What are the signs of severe acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Severe abdominal tenderness, fever,
tachypnea, hypoxemia, and hypotension.
What laboratory finding is indicative of biliary pancreatitis? —Answer: ALT level >150 units/L.
What is the typical pain pattern associated with acute pancreatitis? —Answer: The pain is often
worse with walking and lying supine, and improved with sitting up or leaning forward.
What symptoms did the patient in the case study present with? —Answer: Persistent epigastric
abdominal pain, vomiting, mild epigastric tenderness, fever, tachycardia, and a left-sided
pleural effusion on chest x-ray.
What is the significance of the patient's alcohol consumption in relation to his condition? —
Answer: Chronic alcohol use is a common etiology for acute pancreatitis.
What vital signs abnormalities were noted in the patient? —Answer: Blood pressure of 100/70
mm Hg, pulse of 110/min, and respirations of 20/min.
What imaging finding was noted in the patient's chest x-ray? —Answer: A left-sided pleural
effusion.
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Diagnosis Questions with Answers (100% Correct Answers)
What are the common etiologies of acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Chronic alcohol use,
gallstones, hyperlipidemia (types I, IV & V), certain drugs (e.g., didanosine, azathioprine,
valproic acid), infections (e.g., cytomegalovirus, Legionella, Aspergillus), trauma, and
iatrogenic causes (post-ERCP).
What are the key clinical presentations of acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Acute epigastric
abdominal pain often radiating to the back, nausea, vomiting, and leukocytosis.
What are the diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Diagnosis requires 2 of the
following: acute epigastric abdominal pain, amylase/lipase levels >3 times the normal limit, and
abdominal imaging showing pancreatic enlargement with heterogeneous enhancement (CT) or
a diffusely enlarged & hypoechoic pancreas (ultrasound).
What are the signs of severe acute pancreatitis? —Answer: Severe abdominal tenderness, fever,
tachypnea, hypoxemia, and hypotension.
What laboratory finding is indicative of biliary pancreatitis? —Answer: ALT level >150 units/L.
What is the typical pain pattern associated with acute pancreatitis? —Answer: The pain is often
worse with walking and lying supine, and improved with sitting up or leaning forward.
What symptoms did the patient in the case study present with? —Answer: Persistent epigastric
abdominal pain, vomiting, mild epigastric tenderness, fever, tachycardia, and a left-sided
pleural effusion on chest x-ray.
What is the significance of the patient's alcohol consumption in relation to his condition? —
Answer: Chronic alcohol use is a common etiology for acute pancreatitis.
What vital signs abnormalities were noted in the patient? —Answer: Blood pressure of 100/70
mm Hg, pulse of 110/min, and respirations of 20/min.
What imaging finding was noted in the patient's chest x-ray? —Answer: A left-sided pleural
effusion.
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