A 27-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, at 26 weeks' gestation comes to the emergency department because of vaginal bleeding and epistaxis for the past 2 days. She missed her last prenatal visit 2 weeks ago. Physical examination shows blood in the posterior pharynx and a uterus consistent in size with 23 weeks' gestation. Her hemoglobin concentration is 7.2 g/dL. Ultrasonography shows an intrauterine pregnancy with a small retroplacental hematoma and absent fetal cardiac activity. Further evaluation is most likely to show which of the following findings?
ADecreased fibrinogen concentration
BIncreased antithrombin concentration
CIncreased factor V concentration
DIncreased platelet count
EDecreased prothrombin time
A 2-day-old boy is examined on day of discharge from the newborn nursery. He was born at 39 weeks by vaginal delivery to a primigravid mother. The pregnancy and delivery were uncomplicated, and the baby has been stooling, urinating, and feeding normally. Both the patient’s mother and father have no known past medical history and are found to have normal hemoglobin electrophoresis results. Compared to adult hemoglobin, the infant’s predominant hemoglobin is most likely to exhibit which of the following properties?
ADecreased affinity for 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate
BMore likely to form hexagonal crystals
CMore likely to cause red blood cell sickling
DLower affinity for binding oxygen
EIncreased affinity for 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate
A 19-year-old male college student is brought to the emergency department by his girlfriend complaining of intense pain. They had been playing outside in the snow when the patient started to have severe hand and feet pain. He says the pain is 9 out of 10 and causing him to have trouble moving his fingers and toes. He also reports some difficulty “catching his breath.” He notes that he has been tiring easily for the past month but thought it was because he was studying and going out late. On physical examination, the patient appears uncomfortable. Bilateral conjunctivae are pale. His hands are swollen and tender to palpation. Cardiopulmonary examination is normal. Hemoglobin is 9.0 g/dL. An electrocardiogram shows mild sinus tachycardia. Hemoglobin electrophoresis is performed, which confirms sickle cell disease. The patient’s pain is managed, and he is discharged on hydroxyurea. Which of the following is the most likely to occur as a result of the new medication?
AIncrease in hemoglobin with higher oxygen affinity
BDecrease in hemoglobin with higher oxygen affinity
CIncrease in hemoglobin A
DDecrease in hemoglobin A
EIncrease in fetal hemoglobin
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