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.
You may also like to solve these questions
A laboratory finding of aplastic anaemia
- A. Pancytopaenia
- B. Erythrocytosis
- C. Bone marrow hypercellularity
- D. Reticulocytosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Pancytopenia. Aplastic anemia is characterized by a decrease in all blood cell types (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets), leading to pancytopenia. This is due to bone marrow failure, resulting in decreased production of blood cells. Erythrocytosis (B) is an increase in red blood cells, which is the opposite of what is seen in aplastic anemia. Bone marrow hypercellularity (C) is not typically observed in aplastic anemia, as the bone marrow is usually hypocellular. Reticulocytosis (D) is an increase in immature red blood cells and is not a characteristic finding in aplastic anemia where there is decreased production of all blood cell types.
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: Client with a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds. A PT measures the time it takes for blood to clot, indicating the client's clotting ability. A PT of 28 seconds is prolonged, suggesting a potential bleeding risk. This client should be assessed first to prevent any complications related to inadequate clotting.
A: Client with an international normalized ratio of 2.8 - Although an elevated INR indicates a risk of bleeding, it is not as time-sensitive as a prolonged PT.
B: Client with a platelet count of 128,000/mm3 - While low platelets can lead to bleeding, a prolonged PT is more critical for immediate assessment.
D: Client with a red blood cell count of 5.1 million/mcl - This value is within normal range and does not indicate an urgent issue related to clotting.
A patient receiving blood begins complaining of severe chest pain and a feeling of warmth. What should the nurse do first?
- A. Call the physician.
- B. Administer diuretics as ordered.
- C. Discontinue the blood transfusion.
- D. Assess vital signs and cardiovascular status.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct first step is to discontinue the blood transfusion (Choice C) because the patient is experiencing symptoms of a transfusion reaction, such as chest pain and warmth. Stopping the transfusion is crucial to prevent further harm. Calling the physician (Choice A) can be done after discontinuing the transfusion. Administering diuretics (Choice B) is not appropriate for this situation. Assessing vital signs and cardiovascular status (Choice D) should be done after stopping the transfusion to monitor the patient's condition.
You examine a 10-year-old boy with severe aplastic anemia. He has no dysmorphic features and is at the 50th percentile for height and weight. Family history includes a sister with aplastic anemia unresponsive to anti-human thymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine who died early in the course of an unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplant complicated by severe mucositis and transplant-related organ toxicities. There are no other siblings. A cousin died of acute myeloid leukemia at age 5 years. A peripheral blood sample test for Fanconi anemia is negative with no increased chromosomal breaks in response to diepoxylbutane or mitomycin C. Which of the following is the most important next step in management?
- A. Administer ATG and cyclosporine.
- B. Search for a donor for matched unrelated transplant.
- C. Send a bone marrow aspirate for Fanconi anemia testing.
- D. Send a skin fibroblast culture for Fanconi anemia testing.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Send a skin fibroblast culture for Fanconi anemia testing. This is the most important next step in management because the patient's history, including a family member with aplastic anemia and a cousin with leukemia, raises suspicion for a genetic disorder like Fanconi anemia. Testing skin fibroblasts for Fanconi anemia can help confirm or rule out this diagnosis. Administering ATG and cyclosporine (choice A) may not be effective if the underlying cause is a genetic disorder. Searching for a donor for matched unrelated transplant (choice B) is premature without confirming the diagnosis. Sending a bone marrow aspirate for Fanconi anemia testing (choice C) may not yield accurate results as the peripheral blood sample test was negative, making skin fibroblast culture the preferred choice.
A 3-month-old female presents to the emergency room with vomiting and abdominal distension. She has a left-side abdominal mass, and an abdominal ultrasound confirms an 8-cm mass arising from the left kidney. Liver lesions are also noted. Nephrectomy is performed and reveals a histologic diagnosis of malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney (MRTK). Which of the following is not a true statement about the management of this patient?
- A. Most patients with rhabdoid tumor of the kidney present in infancy.
- B. Most patients with rhabdoid tumor of the kidney present with metastatic (stage III or IV) disease.
- C. She has an excellent prognosis with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
- D. Germline testing for SMARCB1/INI1 mutation on chromosome 22 is recommended, with brain MRI every 3 months until she is 5 years old, if testing is germline positive for SMARCB1/INI1.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: She has an excellent prognosis with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Rationale:
1. Malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney (MRTK) is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis.
2. Even with aggressive treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, the prognosis is generally poor due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis.
3. Therefore, stating that the patient has an excellent prognosis with the mentioned treatments is not true.
Summary of other choices:
A: Most patients with rhabdoid tumor of the kidney present in infancy - True, MRTK commonly presents in infancy.
B: Most patients with rhabdoid tumor of the kidney present with metastatic (stage III or IV) disease - True, MRTK often presents with metastatic disease.
D: Germline testing for SMARCB1/INI1 mutation on chromosome 22 is recommended, with brain MRI every 3 months until she is