Medical management of ulcerative colitis — MCQs

A 22-year-old woman comes to the physician because of abdominal pain and diarrhea for 2 months. The pain is intermittent, colicky and localized to her right lower quadrant. She has anorexia and fears eating due to the pain. She has lost 4 kg (8.8 lb) during this time. She has no history of a serious illness and takes no medications. Her temperature is 37.8°C (100.0°F), blood pressure 125/65 mm Hg, pulse 75/min, and respirations 14/min. An abdominal examination shows mild tenderness of the right lower quadrant on deep palpation without guarding. Colonoscopy shows small aphthous-like ulcers in the right colon and terminal ileum. Biopsy from the terminal ileum shows noncaseating granulomas in all layers of the bowel wall. Which of the following is the most appropriate pharmacotherapy at this time?

A 55-year-old woman presents with diarrhea and a rash. She reports having some painful reddish nodules on her legs that she noticed a week ago. She also has been having loose stools associated with cramping lower abdominal pain for the past month. This is associated with an urgency to defecate, and defecation helps relieve the abdominal pain. The stool is occasionally blood-tinged and has some mucus. She feels fatigued but denies fever, weight loss, exposure to any sick people, or history of travel recently. No significant past medical history. Her family history is significant for osteoporosis in her mother, aunt, and older sister. On physical examination, the patient has generalized pallor. There are multiple erythematous tender nodules over the extensor surface of the legs bilaterally below the level of the knee. Abdominal examination reveals mild tenderness to palpation in the left lower quadrant. A DEXA scan is performed and reveals a T-score of -1.5 at the hips and spine. Laboratory findings are significant for microcytic anemia and an elevated ESR. A colonoscopy is performed and reveals patchy inflammation of the colon with rectal sparing. The lesions are present in patches with intermittent normal colonic mucosa. The patient is started on sulfasalazine and shows a good response. However, 6 months later, she returns with a recurrence of her symptoms. A repeat colonoscopy reveals more extensive involvement of the colon and the small bowel. A second drug is added to her treatment regimen. Which of the following is the most common adverse effect associated with the use of this second drug?

A 31-year-old man presents to an urgent care clinic with symptoms of lower abdominal pain, bloating, bloody diarrhea, and fullness, all of which have become more frequent over the last 3 months. His vital signs are as follows: blood pressure is 121/81 mm Hg, heart rate is 87/min, and respiratory rate is 15/min. Rectal examination reveals a small amount of bright red blood. Lower endoscopy is performed, showing extensive mucosal erythema, induration, and pseudopolyps extending from the rectum to the splenic flexure. Given the following options, what is the most appropriate initial treatment for this patient's underlying disease?

A 21-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 4-day history of abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea 5 times per day. Her symptoms began after she ate an egg sandwich from a restaurant. Her vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows diffuse abdominal tenderness. Stool culture shows gram-negative rods that produce hydrogen sulfide and do not ferment lactose. Which of the following effects is most likely to occur if she receives antibiotic therapy?

A 34-year-old woman with no significant prior medical history presents to the clinic with several days of bloody stool. She also complains of constipation and straining, but she has no other symptoms. She has no family history of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. She does not smoke or drink alcohol. Her vital signs are as follows: blood pressure is 121/81 mm Hg, heart rate is 77/min, and respiratory rate is 15/min. There is no abdominal discomfort on physical exam, and a digital rectal exam reveals bright red blood. Of the following, which is the most likely diagnosis?

A 22-year-old man presents to the emergency department with abdominal pain. The patient states that he has had right lower quadrant abdominal pain for "a while now". The pain comes and goes, and today it is particularly painful. The patient is a college student studying philosophy. He drinks alcohol occasionally and is currently sexually active. He states that sometimes he feels anxious about school. The patient's father died of colon cancer at the age of 55, and his mother died of breast cancer when she was 57. The patient has a past medical history of anxiety and depression which is not currently treated. Review of systems is positive for bloody diarrhea. His temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C), blood pressure is 100/58 mmHg, pulse is 120/min, respirations are 17/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Cardiopulmonary exam is within normal limits. Abdominal exam reveals diffuse tenderness. A fecal occult blood test is positive. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 32-year-old man comes to the physician for a follow-up examination. He has a 2-month history of increasing generalized fatigue and severe pruritus. He has hypertension and ulcerative colitis which was diagnosed via colonoscopy 5 years ago. Current medications include lisinopril and rectal mesalamine. He is sexually active with 2 female partners and uses condoms inconsistently. His temperature is 37.3°C (99.1°F), pulse is 86/min, and blood pressure is 130/84 mm Hg. Examination shows scleral icterus and multiple scratch marks on the trunk and extremities. The lungs are clear to auscultation. The abdomen is soft and nontender. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 11.5 g/dL Leukocyte count 7500/mm3 Platelet count 280,000/mm3 Serum Na+ 138 mEq/L Cl- 101 mEq/L K+ 4.7 mEq/L Urea nitrogen 18 mg/dL Glucose 91 mg/dL Creatinine 0.8 mg/dL Bilirubin Total 1.5 mg/dL Direct 0.9 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase 460 U/L AST 75 U/L ALT 78 U/L Anti-nuclear antibody negative Antimitochondrial antibodies negative Abdominal ultrasound shows thickening of the bile ducts and focal bile duct dilatation. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 31-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of a 4-day history of fever and diarrhea. She has abdominal cramps and frequent bowel movements of small quantities of stool with blood and mucus. She has had multiple similar episodes over the past 8 months. Her temperature is 38.1°C (100.6°F), pulse is 75/min, and blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg. Bowel sounds are normal. The abdomen is soft. There is tenderness to palpation in the left lower quadrant with guarding and no rebound. She receives appropriate treatment and recovers. Two weeks later, colonoscopy shows polypoid growths flanked by linear ulcers. A colonic biopsy specimen shows mucosal edema with distorted crypts and inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. Which of the following is the most appropriate recommendation for this patient?

A 72-year-old female presents to the emergency department complaining of severe abdominal pain and several days of bloody diarrhea. Her symptoms began with intermittent bloody diarrhea five days ago and have worsened steadily. For the last 24 hours, she has complained of fevers, chills, and abdominal pain. She has a history of ulcerative colitis, idiopathic hypertension, and hypothyroidism. Her medications include hydrochlorothiazide, levothyroxine, and sulfasalazine. In the ED, her temperature is 39.1°C (102.4°F), pulse is 120/min, blood pressure is 90/60 mmHg, and respirations are 20/min. On exam, the patient is alert and oriented to person and place, but does not know the day. Her mucus membranes are dry. Heart and lung exam are not revealing. Her abdomen is distended with marked rebound tenderness. Bowel sounds are hyperactive. Serum: Na+: 142 mEq/L Cl-: 107 mEq/L K+: 3.3 mEq/L HCO3-: 20 mEq/L BUN: 15 mg/dL Glucose: 92 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.2 mg/dL Calcium: 10.1 mg/dL Hemoglobin: 11.2 g/dL Hematocrit: 30% Leukocyte count: 14,600/mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 405,000/mm^3 What is the next best step in management?

A 34-year-old man with a 2-year history of rheumatoid arthritis is being evaluated on a follow-up visit. He is currently on methotrexate and celecoxib for pain management and has shown a good response until now. However, on this visit, he mentions that the morning stiffness has been getting progressively worse. On physical examination, both his wrists are erythematous and swollen, nodules on his elbows are also noted. Rheumatoid factor is 30 (normal reference values: < 15 IU/mL), ESR is 50 mm/h, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies is 55 (normal reference values: < 20). What is the next best step in the management of this patient?