Heart transplantation — MCQs

A 31-year-old female receives a kidney transplant for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Three weeks later, the patient experiences acute, T-cell mediated rejection of the allograft and is given sirolimus. Which of the following are side effects of this medication?

A 42-year-old woman presents to the physician with symptoms of vague abdominal pain and bloating for several months. Test results indicate that she has ovarian cancer. Her physician attempts to reach her by phone multiple times but cannot reach her. Next of kin numbers are in her chart. According to HIPAA regulations, who should be the primary person the doctor discusses this information with?

A 66-year-old man is transferred from another hospital after 3 days of progressively severe headache, vomiting, low-grade fever, and confusion. According to his partner, the patient has been dealing with some memory loss and complaining about headaches for the past 2 weeks. He has a history of interstitial pulmonary disease that required lung transplantation 2 years ago. Upon admission, he is found with a blood pressure of 160/100 mm Hg, a pulse of 58/min, a respiratory rate of 15/min, and a body temperature of 36°C (97°F). During the examination, he is found with oral thrush and symmetric and reactive pupils; there are no focal neurological signs or papilledema. A lumbar puncture is performed. Which of the following features would be expected to be found in this case?

A 52-year-old man is diagnosed with chronic renal failure. He is on hemodialysis. The physicians have advised him that he needs a renal transplant. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype is A7/A5, B2/B9, and C8/C3. For each locus, the maternal allele is listed 1st and the paternal allele is listed 2nd. There are several potential donors available for the renal graft. Which of the following donors would be the closest match?

A 43-year-old woman presents to the emergency department complaining of palpitations, dry cough, and shortness of breath for 1 week. She immigrated to the United States from Korea at the age of 20. She says that her heart is racing and she has never felt these symptoms before. Her cough is dry and is associated with shortness of breath that occurs with minimal exertion. Her past medical history is otherwise unremarkable. She has no allergies and is not currently taking any medications. She is a nonsmoker and an occasional drinker. She denies illicit drug use. Her blood pressure is 100/65 mm Hg, pulse is 76/min, respiratory rate is 23/min, and temperature is 36.8°C (98.2°F). Her physical examination is significant for bibasilar lung crackles and a non-radiating, low-pitched, mid-diastolic rumbling murmur best heard at the apical region. In addition, she has jugular vein distention and bilateral pitting edema in her lower extremities. Which of the following best describes the infectious agent that led to this patient’s condition?

A 58-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of confusion, weight loss, and anuria. He has chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 8 years and was treated with an allogeneic stem cell transplantation. He is HIV-positive and has active hepatitis C virus infection. He drinks around 8 cans of beer every week. His current medications include tenofovir, emtricitabine, atazanavir, daclatasvir, sofosbuvir, insulin, amlodipine, and enalapril. He appears lethargic. His temperature is 36°C (96.8°F), pulse is 130/min, respirations are 26/min, and blood pressure is 145/90 mm Hg. Examination shows severe edema in his legs and generalized muscular weakness. Auscultation of the lung shows crepitant rales. Laboratory studies show positive HCV antibody and positive HCV RNA. His HIV viral load is undetectable and his CD4+ T-lymphocyte count is 589/μL. Six months ago, his CD4+ T-lymphocyte count was 618/μL. An ECG of the heart shows arrhythmia with frequent premature ventricular contractions. Arterial blood gas analysis on room air shows: pH 7.23 PCO2 31 mm Hg HCO3- 13 mEq/L Base excess -12 mEq/L The patient states he would like to donate organs or tissues in the case of his death. Which of the following is an absolute contraindication for organ donation in this patient?

A 68-year-old woman comes to the physician for a follow-up examination. Three months ago, she underwent heart transplantation for restrictive cardiomyopathy and was started on transplant rejection prophylaxis. Her pulse is 76/min and blood pressure is 148/82 mm Hg. Physical examination shows enlargement of the gum tissue. There is a well-healed scar on her chest. Serum studies show hyperlipidemia. The physician recommends removing a drug that decreases T cell activation by inhibiting the transcription of interleukin-2 from the patient's treatment regimen and replacing it with a different medication. Which of the following drugs is the most likely cause of the adverse effects seen in this patient?

A 65-year-old man is admitted to the hospital because of a 1-month history of fatigue, intermittent fever, and weakness. Results from a peripheral blood smear taken during his evaluation are indicative of possible acute myeloid leukemia. Bone marrow aspiration and subsequent cytogenetic studies confirm the diagnosis. The physician sets aside an appointed time-slot and arranges a meeting in a quiet office to inform him about the diagnosis and discuss his options. He has been encouraged to bring someone along to the appointment if he wanted. He comes to your office at the appointed time with his daughter. He appears relaxed, with a full range of affect. Which of the following is the most appropriate opening statement in this situation?

An 18-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department by his parents because he suddenly collapsed while playing football. His parents mention that he had complained of dizziness while playing before, but never fainted in the middle of a game. On physical examination, the blood pressure is 130/90 mm Hg, the respirations are 15/min, and the pulse is 110/min. The chest is clear, but a systolic ejection murmur is present. The remainder of the examination revealed no significant findings. An electrocardiogram is ordered, along with an echocardiogram. He is diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the physician lists all the precautions he must follow. Which of the following drugs will be on the list of contraindicated substances?

A 48-year-old Caucasian male suffering from ischemic heart disease is placed on a heart transplant list. Months later, he receives a heart from a matched donor. During an endomyocardial biopsy performed 3 weeks later, there is damage consistent with acute graft rejection. What is most likely evident on the endomyocardial biopsy?