Nokea
A 36-year-old woman presented with weakness, lassitude, and feeling easily tired. Her bone marrow aspirate showed 15% myeloblasts and reduced erythropoiesis. The most likely cause is
- A. Acute myeloid leukemia
- B. Acute lymphoid leukemia
- C. Myelofibrosis
- D. Myelodysplastic syndrome
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Myelodysplastic syndrome. Given the patient's age, symptoms, and bone marrow findings of myeloblasts with reduced erythropoiesis, it aligns with the characteristics of myelodysplastic syndrome. This condition involves abnormal blood cell production leading to cytopenias and an increased risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Acute myeloid leukemia (Choice A) typically presents with higher blast percentages and more aggressive symptoms. Acute lymphoid leukemia (Choice B) is less likely due to the presence of myeloblasts in the bone marrow. Myelofibrosis (Choice C) is characterized by fibrosis in the bone marrow, which is not indicated in this case.
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In the laboratory diagnosis of leishmaniasis, the expected parasite stage in vitro is
- A. Amastigote
- B. Promastigote
- C. Trypomastigote
- D. Schizont
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Promastigote. In the laboratory diagnosis of leishmaniasis, the parasite stage typically observed in vitro is the promastigote stage. This is because promastigotes are the infective form of the parasite found in the sandfly vector. When a sample is taken from a patient, it is cultured in a suitable medium where promastigotes develop. Amastigotes (choice A) are the intracellular form found in the host, not typically observed in vitro. Trypomastigotes (choice C) are the stage found in Trypanosoma species, not Leishmania. Schizonts (choice D) are a stage in the life cycle of Plasmodium species causing malaria, not Leishmania. Promastigotes are the stage most commonly used for laboratory diagnosis and research in leishmaniasis.
A 13-year-old Hispanic girl is found to have a WBC count of 6,500/mm3 with 40% Auer rod–containing granular blasts that, by flow cytometry, express very bright CD33 but are negative for human leukocyte antigen–DR isotype (HLA-DR). She is oozing blood around her peripheral IV site. Coagulation studies reveal an international normalized ratio (INR) of 3.4, a fibrinogen of 170, and a markedly elevated D-dimer. Marrow aspirate shows nearly 90% blasts with a similar morphology. You send the marrow to the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) lab and request STAT testing for the most likely recurrent genetic abnormality based on the clinical presentation. How do you plan to initiate therapy?
- A. Perform a lumbar puncture to determine leukemic involvement, then proceed with induction chemotherapy.
- B. Begin therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) immediately while aggressively managing coagulopathy with blood product support.
- C. Start dexamethasone and hydroxyurea immediately while aggressively managing coagulopathy with blood product support.
- D. Start induction chemotherapy, obtain HLA typing, and start a donor search because of the poor prognosis associated with this leukemic phenotype.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because the clinical presentation suggests acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). APL is characterized by Auer rod-containing granular blasts, which are positive for CD33 and negative for HLA-DR. The presence of coagulopathy with elevated D-dimer and oozing blood indicates a high risk of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a common complication of APL. Immediate treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is crucial in APL to induce differentiation of the leukemic cells and prevent further coagulopathy. Aggressively managing the coagulopathy with blood product support is also important to stabilize the patient.
Choice A is incorrect because a lumbar puncture is not necessary for APL diagnosis, and immediate induction chemotherapy with ATRA is the standard of care. Choice C is incorrect because dexamethasone and hydroxyurea are not the first-line therapies for APL.
Assuming that adherence has been excellent, which of the following should have returned to normal 6 weeks following appropriate oral iron treatment for a child with severe dietary iron deficiency (hemoglobin [Hgb] 5.0 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume [MCV] 48 fL at the beginning of therapy)?
- A. Hgb concentration
- B. MCV
- C. Red cell distribution width
- D. Peripheral blood smear
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rationale for Correct Answer (A): Hgb concentration reflects the amount of hemoglobin in the blood, which is directly affected by iron levels. After 6 weeks of appropriate oral iron treatment, the child's severe iron deficiency should have improved, leading to an increase in Hgb concentration back to normal levels.
Explanation of Incorrect Choices:
B: MCV measures the size of red blood cells, which is affected by iron deficiency anemia. However, it may take longer than 6 weeks for MCV to return to normal.
C: Red cell distribution width indicates the variation in red blood cell sizes and is not directly related to iron levels. It may not necessarily return to normal within 6 weeks.
D: Peripheral blood smear provides information on the morphology of red blood cells but does not directly reflect iron levels. It may not show significant changes within 6 weeks of iron treatment.
When reviewing the chemistry panel of a newly diagnosed patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who is lethargic, complaining of flank pain, and experiencing nausea and vomiting, which of the following would you expect to see?
- A. Potassium 4.5 mmol/L, phosphorus 8 mg/dL, uric acid 7 mg/dL, calcium 9.0 mg/dL, BUN 12 mg/dL
- B. Potassium 6.5 mmol/L, phosphorus 8 mg/dL, uric acid 9 mg/dL, calcium 10 mg/dL, BUN 14 mg/dL
- C. Potassium 4 mmol/L, phosphorus 9 mg/dL, uric acid 10 mg/dL, calcium 10 mg/dL, BUN 10 mg/dL
- D. Potassium 7 mmol/L, phosphorus 12 mg/dL, uric acid 10 mg/dL, calcium 7 mg/dL, BUN 25 mg/dL
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Step-by-step rationale:
1. Lethargy, flank pain, nausea, vomiting in leukemia can suggest tumor lysis syndrome (TLS).
2. TLS can cause hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, hypocalcemia, and elevated BUN.
3. Choice D has the highest potassium, phosphorus, uric acid, and BUN levels, and the lowest calcium level.
4. Therefore, choice D is the most consistent with the expected lab findings in tumor lysis syndrome.
Summary:
- Choice A has normal potassium, phosphorus, uric acid, calcium levels, and lower BUN.
- Choice B has high potassium but normal phosphorus, uric acid, calcium, and slightly elevated BUN.
- Choice C has low potassium, normal phosphorus, and elevated uric acid, calcium, and BUN.
- Choice D aligns most closely with the expected lab findings in tumor lysis syndrome due to the pattern of
A nurse is caring for four clients. After reviewing today's laboratory results, which client would the nurse assess first?
- A. Client with an international normalized ratio of 2.8
- B. Client with a platelet count of 128,000/mm3 (128 x 109/L).
- C. Client with a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds
- D. Client with a red blood cell count of 5.1 million/mcl. (5.1 x 1012/L)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds indicates potential issues with blood clotting and can be a sign of bleeding disorders or liver dysfunction, requiring immediate assessment and intervention to prevent complications.
Choice A (INR of 2.8) is within the therapeutic range for clients on anticoagulant therapy, so it's not an immediate concern. Choice B (platelet count of 128,000/mm3) is low but not critically low, so it doesn't require immediate assessment. Choice D (red blood cell count of 5.1 million/mcl) is within the normal range and doesn't indicate urgent issues.
In summary, the nurse should assess the client with a PT of 28 seconds first due to the potential risk of bleeding or clotting disorders, while the other choices are not as urgent.