Pancreatic endocrine function — MCQs

A 41-year-old female complains of frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain between meals. Endoscopy reveals a duodenal ulcer distal to the duodenal bulb. CT scan of the abdomen demonstrates a pancreatic mass, and subsequent tissue biopsy of the pancreas reveals a malignant islet cell tumor. Which of the following hormones is likely to be markedly elevated in this patient:

A 19-year-old man with a history of type 1 diabetes presents to the emergency department for the evaluation of a blood glucose level of 492 mg/dL. Laboratory examination revealed a serum bicarbonate level of 13 mEq/L, serum sodium level of 122 mEq/L, and ketonuria. Arterial blood gas demonstrated a pH of 6.9. He is admitted to the hospital and given bicarbonate and then started on an insulin drip and intravenous fluid. Seven hours later when his nurse is making rounds, he is confused and complaining of a severe headache. Repeat sodium levels are unchanged, although his glucose level has improved. His vital signs include a temperature of 36.6°C (98.0°F), pulse 50/min, respiratory rate 13/min and irregular, and blood pressure 177/95 mm Hg. What other examination findings would be expected in this patient?

A 24-year-old man presents for an annual check-up. He is a bodybuilder and tells you he is on a protein-rich diet that only allows for minimal carbohydrate intake. His friend suggests he try exogenous glucagon to help him lose some excess weight before an upcoming competition. Which of the following effects of glucagon is he attempting to exploit?

A 45-year-old woman comes to the emergency department with recurrent episodes of shaking, sweating, and palpitations. The patient is confused and complains of hunger. One week ago, she had similar symptoms that improved after eating. She has hypertension and a history of biliary pancreatitis. She underwent cholecystectomy 1 year ago. She works as a nurse aide in a nursing care facility. She does not smoke or drink alcohol. She does not exercise. Her temperature is 36.7°C (98°F), pulse is 104/min, respirations are 20/min, and blood pressure is 135/88 mm Hg. Examination shows tremors and diaphoresis. Laboratory studies show: Blood glucose 50 mg/dL Thyroid-stimulating hormone 1 mU/L C-peptide 0.50 ng/mL (N=0.8–3.1) Abdominal ultrasound reveals a 1-cm anechoic lesion in the head of the pancreas. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's symptoms?

A 60-year-old African-American female presents to your office complaining of dysuria, paresthesias, and blurry vision. Her body mass index is 37.2 kg/m2. Which of the following drugs would most significantly increase the levels of C-peptide in the blood when administered to this patient?

Pancreatic islets were isolated from a healthy, non-diabetic donor to perform an experiment to look at insulin secretion inhibition. Compounds would be added to separate wells containing the islets bathed in a high glucose solution for one hour. After one hour, the supernatant would be collected, and the insulin content would be measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Which of the following compounds would result in the least insulin secretion when added to the islets?

A 16-year-old girl is brought to the emergency department unresponsive. A witness reports that she became anxious, lightheaded, and began sweating and trembling a few minutes before she lost consciousness. Her vitals are as follows: blood pressure 95/60 mm Hg, heart rate 110/min, respiratory rate 21/min, and temperature 35.5°C (95.5°F). She becomes responsive but is still somnolent. She complains of dizziness and weakness. A more detailed history reveals that she has drastically restricted her diet to lose weight for the past 18 hours, and has not eaten today. Her skin is pale, wet, and cold. The rest of the physical examination is unremarkable. Blood testing shows a plasma glucose level of 2.8 mmol/L (50.5 mg/dL). Which of the following statements is true?

You have been asked to deliver a lecture to medical students about the effects of various body hormones and neurotransmitters on the metabolism of glucose. Which of the following statements best describes the effects of sympathetic stimulation on glucose metabolism?

Certain glucose transporters that are expressed predominantly on skeletal muscle cells and adipocytes are unique compared to those transporters found on other cell types within the body. Without directly affecting glucose transport in other cell types, which of the following would be most likely to selectively increase glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells and adipocytes?

A 38-year-old female presents to her primary care physician with complaints of several episodes of palpitations accompanied by panic attacks over the last month. She also is concerned about many instances over the past few weeks where food has been getting stuck in her throat and she has had trouble swallowing. She denies any prior medical problems and reports a family history of cancer in her mother and maternal grandfather but cannot recall any details regarding the type of cancer(s) or age of diagnosis. Her vital signs at today's visit are as follows: T 37.6 deg C, HR 106, BP 158/104, RR 16, SpO2 97%. Physical examination is significant for a nodule on the anterior portion of the neck that moves with swallowing, accompanied by mild lymphadenopathy. A preliminary work-up is initiated, which shows hypercalcemia, elevated baseline calcitonin, and an inappropriately elevated PTH level. Diagnostic imaging shows bilateral adrenal lesions on an MRI of the abdomen/pelvis. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?