Asthma pathophysiology and diagnosis — MCQs

A 21-year-old man presents with eye redness, itching, and watering; nasal congestion, and rhinorrhea. He reports that these symptoms have been occurring every year in the late spring since he was 18 years old. The patient’s medical history is significant for endoscopic resection of a right maxillary sinus polyp at the age of 16. His father and younger sister have bronchial asthma. He takes oxymetazoline as needed to decrease nasal congestion. The patient’s blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg, heart rate is 71/min, respiratory rate is 18/min, and temperature is 36.7°C (98.0°F). On physical examination, there is conjunctival injection and clear nasal discharge bilaterally. His lymph nodes are not enlarged and his sinuses do not cause pain upon palpation. Heart and lung sounds are normal. Which of the following is most likely to be a part of his condition’s pathogenesis?

A 60-year-old woman presents to the emergency department due to progressive shortness of breath and a dry cough for the past week. She notes that her symptoms are exacerbated by physical activity and relieved by rest. The woman was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease 2 years ago and was recently started on regular dialysis treatment. Her pulse rate is 105/min, blood pressure is 110/70 mm Hg, respiratory rate is 30/min, and temperature is 37.8°C (100.0°F). On examination of the respiratory system, there is dullness on percussion, decreased vocal tactile fremitus, and decreased breath sounds over the right lung base. The rest of the physical exam is within normal limits. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient’s symptoms?

A 28-year-old man makes an appointment with his general practitioner for a regular check-up. He has recently been diagnosed with asthma and was given a short-acting β2-agonist to use during acute exacerbations. He said he usually uses the medication 1–2 times per week. Which of the following is the most appropriate treatment in this case?

A 28-year-old man presents to his primary care provider because of shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. He reports that in high school, he occasionally had shortness of breath and would wheeze after running. His symptoms have progressively worsened over the past 6 months and are now occurring daily. He also finds himself being woken up from sleep by his wheeze approximately 3 times a week. His medical history is unremarkable. He denies tobacco use or excessive alcohol consumption. His temperature is 37.1°C (98.8°F), blood pressure is 121/82 mm Hg, and heart rate is 82/min. Physical examination is remarkable for expiratory wheezing bilaterally. Spirometry shows an FEV1 of 73% of predicted, which improves by 19% with albuterol. In addition to a short-acting beta-agonist as needed, which of the following is the most appropriate therapy for this patient?

A 24-year-old woman presents with episodic shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing. She has noticed an increased frequency of such episodes in the spring season. She also has a history of urticaria. She has smoked a half pack of cigarettes per day over the last 5 years. Her mother also has similar symptoms. The physical exam is within normal limits. Which of the following findings is characteristic of her condition?

A previously healthy 64-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a dry cough and progressively worsening shortness of breath for the past 2 months. She has not had fever, chills, or night sweats. She has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for the past 45 years. She appears thin. Examination of the lung shows a prolonged expiratory phase and end-expiratory wheezing. Spirometry shows decreased FEV1:FVC ratio (< 70% predicted), decreased FEV1, and a total lung capacity of 125% of predicted. The diffusion capacity of the lung (DLCO) is decreased. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 16-year-old boy with a history of severe, persistent asthma presents to the emergency department with severe shortness of breath and cough. He states that he was outside playing basketball with his friends, forgot to take his inhaler, and began to have severe difficulty breathing. On exam, he is in clear respiratory distress with decreased air movement throughout all lung fields. He is immediately treated with beta-agonists which markedly improve his symptoms. Prior to treatment, which of the following was most likely observed in this patient?

A 28-year-old man comes to his general practitioner for a regular checkup. He has had trouble breathing lately with coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Problems first started when he went running (outside), but he is also observing the problems when taking a light walk or resting. As a child, he suffered from atopic dermatitis, just like his father and sister. He also has a history of hay fever. What is the most likely cause of his symptoms?

A 14-year-old boy presents to an urgent care clinic complaining of a runny nose that has lasted for a few weeks. He also reports sneezing attacks that last up to an hour, nasal obstruction, and generalized itching. He has similar episodes each year during the springtime that prevent him from going out with his friends or trying out for sports. His younger brother has a history of asthma. Which of the following diseases has a similar pathophysiology?

A high-throughput screen to identify new sympathomimetic compounds was developed such that a transgenic line of cells was created that contained the alpha-1 (red), alpha-2 (yellow), beta-1 (green) and beta-2 (blue) receptors. When each of the receptors was activated a different fluorescent protein was expressed and new compounds with different properties could be identified by the fluorescence that they induced. Compound 7583 selectively induced the expression of the blue fluorescent protein. Which of the following known sympathomimetic medications if administered would similarly result in expression of only the blue fluorescent protein?