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OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN). While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how PSGN will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a traditional question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS CONDITION (ON EXAMS)
When it comes to standardized exams, each condition has its own “code” marked by key buzzwords, lab findings, clues, etc. If you are well versed in this code you will be able to more quickly identify the condition that is being discussed, and get the right answer on the exam you are taking. Below is the “code” for PSGN.
- Recent strep infection: generally present 2-4 weeks before the onset of PSGN. Past strep infection can be cellulitis, pharyngitis, etc.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
Explanation # 1
Question # 2
Explanation # 2
TESTABLE FACTS ABOUT THIS CONDITION (BEYOND ITS IDENTIFICATION)
Many questions on standardized exams go beyond simply recognizing the underlying condition. Often there are specific testable facts regarding some aspect of the disease’s pathophysiology/management/clinical implications that are commonly asked. Some of these are listed below:
- Light microscopy findings: enlarged glomeruli with hypercellularity.
- Immunofluorescence findings: deposits of IgG, IgM, and C3 along the basement membrane and in the mesangium of glomeruli (‘lumpy-bumpy” appearance.
- Electron microscopy findings: electron dense deposits on the epithelial side of the glomerular basement membrane (sub epithelial humps). These are filled with immune complexes composed of IgG, IgM, and C3.
Page Updated: 04.17.2017