Endocrine pathology Practice Questions

Question 1

A 21-year-old woman presents with irregular menses, acne, and increased body hair growth. She says her average menstrual cycle lasts 36 days and states that she has heavy menstrual bleeding. She had her menarche at the age of 13 years. Her blood pressure is 125/80 mm Hg, heart rate is 79/min, respiratory rate is 14/min, and temperature is 36.7°C (98.1°F). Her body weight is 101.0 kg (222.7 lb) and height is 170 cm (5 ft 7 in). Physical examination shows papular acne on her forehead and cheeks. There are dark hairs present on her upper lip, periareolar region, linea alba, and hips, as well as darkening of the skin on the axilla and posterior neck. Which of the following endocrine abnormalities would also most likely be found in this patient?

Accepted Answer

Insulin resistance

Answer

Aldosterone hyperproduction

Answer

Adrenaline hypersecretion

Answer

Hypothyroidism

Answer

Hypoestrogenism

Question 2

A 28-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician complaining of intense thirst and frequent urination for the past 2 weeks. She says that she constantly feels the urge to drink water and is also going to the bathroom to urinate frequently throughout the day and multiple times at night. She was most recently hospitalized 1 month prior to presentation following a motor vehicle accident in which she suffered severe impact to her head. The physician obtains laboratory tests, with the results shown below:

Serum:
Na+: 149 mEq/L
Cl-: 103 mEq/L
K+: 3.5 mEq/L
HCO3-: 24 mEq/L
BUN: 20 mg/dL
Glucose: 105 mg/dL
Urine Osm: 250 mOsm/kg

The patient’s condition is most likely caused by inadequate hormone secretion from which of the following locations?

Accepted Answer

Posterior pituitary

Answer

Adrenal cortex

Answer

Anterior pituitary

Answer

Preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus

Answer

Suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus

Question 3

A 60-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of recurrent episodes of fatigue, palpitations, nausea, and diaphoresis over the past 6 months. The episodes have become more frequent in the last 2 weeks and he has missed work several times because of them. His symptoms usually improve after he drinks some juice and rests. He has had a 2-kg (4.5-lb) weight gain in the past 6 months. He has a history of bipolar disorder, hypertension, and asthma. His sister has type 2 diabetes mellitus and his mother has a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma. His medications include lithium, hydrochlorothiazide, aspirin, and a budesonide inhaler. His temperature is 36.3°C (97.3°F), pulse is 92/min and regular, respirations are 20/min, and blood pressure is 118/65 mm Hg. Abdominal examination shows no abnormalities. Serum studies show:
Na+ 145 mEq/L
K+ 3.9 mEq/L
Cl- 103 mEq/L
Calcium 9.2 mg/dL
Glucose 88 mg/dL
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

72-hour fasting test

Answer

Corticotropin stimulation test

Answer

Water deprivation test

Answer

Oral glucose tolerance test

Answer

24-hour urine catecholamine test

Question 4

A 40-year-old man comes to the physician because of weight gain over the past 3 months. During this period, he has gained 10 kg (22 lb) unintentionally. He also reports decreased sexual desire, oily skin, and sleeping difficulties. There is no personal or family history of serious illness. He has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for the past 10 years. The patient appears lethargic. His temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 80/min, and blood pressure is 150/90 mm Hg. Physical examination shows central obesity, acne, and thin, easily bruisable skin with stretch marks on the abdomen. There is darkening of the mucous membranes and the skin creases. Examination of the muscles shows atrophy and weakness of proximal muscle groups. His serum glucose concentration is 240 mg/dL. Which of the following findings would most likely be present on imaging?

Accepted Answer

Pituitary microadenoma

Answer

Decreased thyroid size

Answer

Multiple kidney cysts

Answer

Kidney tumor

Answer

Adrenal carcinoma

Question 5

An epidemiologist is evaluating the efficacy of Noxbinle in preventing HCC deaths at the population level. A clinical trial shows that over 5 years, the mortality rate from HCC was 25% in the control group and 15% in patients treated with Noxbinle 100 mg daily. Based on this data, how many patients need to be treated with Noxbinle 100 mg to prevent, on average, one death from HCC?

Accepted Answer

10

Answer

20

Answer

73

Answer

50

Answer

100

Question 6

A group of scientists is studying the mechanism of action of various pancreatic hormones in rats. The scientists studied hormone A, which is secreted by the β-cells of the pancreas, and found that hormone A binds to a complex dimeric receptor on the cell membrane and exerts its effects via phosphorylation and subsequent downstream signaling that includes dephosphorylation of different intracellular proteins. Now they are studying hormone B, which is secreted by the α-cells and antagonizes the actions of hormone A. Which 2nd messenger system would hormone B utilize to exert its cellular effects?

Accepted Answer

Adenylyl cyclase-cyclic AMP

Answer

Direct cytoplasmic receptor binding

Answer

Phospholipase C

Answer

Tyrosine kinase

Answer

Direct nuclear receptor binding

Question 7

A 53-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes mellitus is admitted for evaluation of recurrent episodes of nausea, tremors, and excessive sweating. She works as a nurse and reports self-measured blood glucose levels below 50 mg/dL on several occasions. Her family history is positive for borderline personality disorder. The only medication listed in her history is metformin. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

Accepted Answer

Ask the patient if she is taking any medications other than metformin

Answer

Measure serum C-peptide concentration

Answer

Search the patient's belongings for insulin

Answer

Measure glycated hemoglobin concentration

Answer

Report the patient to her employer

Question 8

A 28-year-old male presents to his primary care physician with complaints of intermittent abdominal pain and alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea. His medical chart is not significant for any past medical problems or prior surgeries. He is not prescribed any current medications. Which of the following questions would be the most useful next question in eliciting further history from this patient?

Accepted Answer

"Can you tell me more about the symptoms you have been experiencing?"

Answer

"Does the diarrhea typically precede the constipation, or vice-versa?"

Answer

"Is the diarrhea foul-smelling?"

Answer

"Please rate your abdominal pain on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst pain of your life"

Answer

"Are the symptoms worse in the morning or at night?"

Question 9

A 55-year-old woman has a total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. She complains of tingling around the mouth 11 hours after the operation. Her condition rapidly deteriorates with difficulty breathing and chest tightness. Which of the following best represent the signaling pathway of the deficient hormone responsible for this patient’s symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)

Answer

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)

Answer

Intracellular receptors

Answer

Receptor tyrosine kinase

Answer

Inositol trisphosphate (IP3)

Question 10

A 43-year-old male with a history of thyroid cancer status post total thyroidectomy presents to his primary care physician after repeated bouts of headaches. His headaches are preceded by periods of anxiety, palpitations, and sweating. The patient says he is unable to pinpoint any precipitating factors and instead says the events occur without warning. Of note, the patient's father and uncle also have a history of thyroid cancer. On exam his vitals are: T 36.8 HR 87, BP 135/93, RR 14, and O2 Sat 100% on room air. The patient's TSH is within normal limits, and he reports taking his levothyroxine as prescribed. What is the next best step in diagnosing this patient's chief complaint?

Accepted Answer

Plasma fractionated metanephrines

Answer

24-hour urine free cortisol

Answer

Plasma aldosterone/renin ratio

Answer

Abdominal CT scan with and without IV contrast

Answer

High dose dexamethasone suppression test

Endocrine pathology

Study Resources

Lessons

Questions

Flashcards

Lessons

Pituitary disorders

Thyroid diseases (hyper/hypothyroidism)

Thyroiditis

Thyroid neoplasms

Parathyroid disorders

Adrenal cortical diseases

Adrenal medullary disorders

Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma

Pancreatic endocrine tumors

Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes

Diabetes mellitus pathology

Endocrine disorders in pregnancy

Endocrine effects of non-endocrine tumors

Practice Questions

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About Endocrine pathology for USMLE

Lessons in Endocrine pathology

Master Endocrine pathology