Liver disease — MCQs

A 54-year-old man presents to the emergency department after vomiting blood an hour ago. He says this happens to him occasionally but denies feeling pain in these episodes. The man is disheveled and has slurred speech as he describes his symptoms. He is reluctant to give further history and wants immediate treatment of his condition. Upon examination, the patient has evidence of tortuous veins visible on his abdomen plus a yellow tinge to his sclerae. He suddenly begins vomiting copious amounts of blood and soon becomes unresponsive. His blood pressure drops to 70/40 mm Hg. He is given 3 units of whole blood but passes away shortly after the incident. Which of the following was the most likely cause of his vomiting of blood?

A 33-year-old woman comes to the physician for a follow-up examination. She was treated for a urinary stone 1 year ago with medical expulsive therapy. There is no personal or family history of serious illness. Her only medication is an oral contraceptive pill that she has been taking for 12 years. She appears healthy. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. A complete blood count, serum creatinine, and electrolytes are within the reference range. Urinalysis is within normal limits. An ultrasound of the abdomen shows a well-demarcated hyperechoic 3-cm (1.2-in) hepatic lesion. A contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen shows a well-demarcated 3-cm hepatic lesion with peripheral enhancement and subsequent centripetal flow followed by rapid clearance of contrast. There is no hypoattenuating central scar. In addition to stopping the oral contraceptive pill, which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 19-year-old man comes to the physician because of recurrent yellowing of his eyes over the past 2 years. He reports that each episode lasts 1–2 weeks and resolves spontaneously. He has no family history of serious illness. He recently spent a week in Mexico for a vacation. He is sexually active with two partners and uses condoms inconsistently. He does not drink alcohol or use illicit drugs. His vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows jaundice of the conjunctivae and the skin. The abdomen is soft with no organomegaly. The remainder of the physical examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Serum Total bilirubin 4.0 mg/dL Direct bilirubin 3.0 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase 75 U/L AST 12 U/L ALT 12 U/L Anti-HAV IgG positive HBsAg negative Anti-HBsAg positive HCV RNA negative Urine Bilirubin present Urobilinogen normal Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this patient's condition?

A 58-year-old man with a history of hepatitis C presents with unintentional weight loss, weakness, jaundice, splenomegaly, and caput medusae. Which of the following is the most appropriate initial test to assess the degree of hepatocellular injury?

A 32-year-old woman visits the office with a complaint of recurrent abdominal pain for the past 2 months. She says the pain has been increasing every day and is located in the right upper quadrant. She has been using oral contraceptive pills for the past 2 years. She is a nonsmoker and does not drink alcohol. Her vital signs show a heart rate of 85/min, respiratory rate of 16/min, temperature of 37.6 °C (99.68 °F), and blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg. Physical examination reveals right upper quadrant tenderness and hepatomegaly 3 cm below the right costal border. Her serology tests for viral hepatitis are as follows: HBsAg Negative Anti-HBs Negative IgM anti-HBc Negative Anti-HCV Negative A hepatic ultrasound shows hepatomegaly with diffusely increased echogenicity and a well-defined, predominantly hypoechoic mass in segment VI of the right lobe of the liver. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 47-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis comes to the physician for a follow-up examination. Examination of the skin shows erythema over the thenar and hypothenar eminences of both hands. He also has numerous blanching lesions over the trunk and upper extremities that have a central red vessel with thin extensions radiating outwards. Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of these findings?

A 42-year-old man presents to his primary care provider with recent swelling in his legs that has now spread to the lower part of his thighs. He sometimes has difficulty putting on his shoes and pants. He also noticed puffiness under his eyes over the last 3 weeks. A 24-hour urine collection confirms proteinuria of 5 g/day. Electron microscopy of a renal biopsy specimen reveals subepithelial deposits with a spike and dome pattern. Which of the following is associated with this patient’s condition?

A 67-year-old man is brought to the emergency department when he was found obtunded at the homeless shelter. The patient is currently not responsive and smells of alcohol. The patient has a past medical history of alcohol use, IV drug use, and hepatitis C. His temperature is 99°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 95/65 mmHg, pulse is 95/min, respirations are 13/min, and oxygen saturation is 95% on room air. The patient is started on IV fluids, and his pulse decreases to 70/min. On physical exam, the patient has an abdominal exam notable for distension and a positive fluid wave. The patient displays mild yellow discoloration of his skin. The patient has notable poor dentition and poor hygiene overall. A systolic murmur is heard along the left sternal border on cardiac exam. Pulmonary exam is notable for mild bibasilar crackles. Laboratory values are ordered, and return as below: Hemoglobin: 10 g/dL Hematocrit: 32% Leukocyte count: 7,500 cells/mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 227,000/mm^3 Serum: Na+: 125 mEq/L Cl-: 100 mEq/L K+: 5.0 mEq/L HCO3-: 24 mEq/L BUN: 51 mg/dL Glucose: 89 mg/dL Creatinine: 2.2 mg/dL Ca2+: 10.0 mg/dL AST: 22 U/L ALT: 19 U/L Urine: Color: Amber Nitrites: Negative Sodium: 12 mmol/24 hours Red blood cells: 0/hpf Over the next 24 hours, the patient produces very little urine. Which of the following best explains this patient’s renal findings?

A 72-year-old man comes to the emergency department for progressively worsening abdominal pain. The pain began 2 weeks ago and is localized to the right upper quadrant. He feels sick and fatigued. He also reports breathlessness when climbing the stairs to his first-floor apartment. He is a retired painter. He has hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. He is sexually active with one female partner and does not use condoms consistently. He began having sexual relations with his most recent partner 2 months ago. He smoked 1 pack of cigarettes daily for 40 years but quit 10 years ago. He does not drink alcohol. Current medications include insulin and enalapril. He is 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) tall and weighs 110 kg (264 lb); BMI is 33.5 kg/m2. His vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows jaundice, a distended abdomen, and tender hepatomegaly. There is no jugular venous distention. A grade 2/6 systolic ejection murmur is heard along the right upper sternal border. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 18.9 g/dL Aspartate aminotransferase 450 U/L Alanine aminotransferase 335 U/L Total bilirubin 2.1 mg/dL Which of the following is the most likely cause of his symptoms?

A 45-year-old man presents for a routine checkup. He says he has arthralgia in his hands and wrists. No significant past medical history. The patient takes no current medications. Family history is significant for his grandfather who died of liver cirrhosis from an unknown disease. He denies any alcohol use or alcoholism in the family. The patient is afebrile and vital signs are within normal limits. On physical examination, there is bronze hyperpigmentation of the skin and significant hepatomegaly is noted. The remainder of the exam is unremarkable. Which of the following is true about this patient’s most likely diagnosis?