Most cases of haemolytic uremic syndrome develop in children after 2 to 14 days of diarrhoea often bloody, due to infection with a certain strain of E. coli. Common features include abdominal pain, fever, features of renal failure like nausea/vomiting …
This patient has a haemolytic anaemia. A direct antiglobulin test is a synonym for a direct Coombs test. The direct Coombs test is used to test for autoimmune haemolytic anaemia or in other words any condition of an anaemia caused …
The table below is a short summary of common findings given in the exam to help you differentiate between the cause of the anaemia. Microcytic Macrocytic Iron deficiency Fe ↓ Ferritin ↓ TIBC t Thalassamia Normal iron studies Electrophoresis to …
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) Aetiology Most cases of acute leukaemia arise with no apparent cause. There areseveral well known associations with the development of acute leukaemiathat are sometimes present. These include radiation exposure,chemotherapeutic agents, as well as some retroviruses. Clinical …
The two main contenders for an answer to this question are tuberculosis and lymphoma. Tuberculosis is improbable because New York City (USA) is not a tuberculosis prone area. The main TB prone areas that you have to take note of …
Although type 3 von Willebrand disease is actually autosomal recessive, majority of von Willebrand’s disease is autosomal dominant. Von Willebrand disease The 3 important points you need to know in Von Willebrand disease in PLAB is: 1. It presents with …
The evidence of increased MCHC, gallstones and family history points towards hereditary spherocytosis. Hereditary Spherocytosis Hereditary Spherocytosis is the most common inherited RBC membrane defect characterized by variable degrees of haemolysis, spherocytic RBCs with increased osmotic fragility. Approximately 75% of …
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) would fit the best among the answers. Cushing’s would be a consideration here as it can sometimes cause amenorrhoea too. FSH LH OESTRADIOL PROLACTIN TABLE  FSH LH Oestradiol Prolactin Polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS) Normal Increased Note: …
This is a very straightforward question but it does test your knowledge of lung function testing thoroughly. The pulmonary indices indicate a restrictive lung disease. The only choice that is a restrictive lung disease is pulmonary fibrosis. Asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary …
The chest X-ray clearly shows a right pneumothorax with right lung collapse and mediastinal shift to the left. The right lung is completely compressed and the trachea is pushed to the left. It is obvious that there are no lung …