Adult Medical Surgical ATI Related

Review Adult Medical Surgical ATI related questions and content

A 34-year-old woman presents with intermittent abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. She notes that her symptoms improve with fasting. She has a history of iron deficiency anemia. What is the most likely diagnosis?

  • A. Irritable bowel syndrome
  • B. Celiac disease
  • C. Lactose intolerance
  • D. Crohn's disease
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Celiac disease. The patient's symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and improvement with fasting are classic for celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten ingestion. Her iron deficiency anemia can be attributed to malabsorption common in celiac disease. Irritable bowel syndrome (A) typically presents with abdominal pain relieved by defecation, not fasting. Lactose intolerance (C) results in symptoms after consuming dairy, not necessarily improved by fasting. Crohn's disease (D) may present similarly, but the improvement with fasting and iron deficiency anemia point more towards celiac disease in this case.