A 60-year-old woman has fatigue, tingling in the feet and a sore tongue, with macrocytic anaemia and anti-intrinsic factor antibodies. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Pernicious anaemia
- Step 1: The picture of macrocytic anaemia with neuropathy and anti-intrinsic factor antibodies fits Pernicious anaemia.
Answer
Pernicious anaemia.
Why not the others: 'Iron deficiency anaemia': it is microcytic with a low ferritin. 'Folate deficiency': it is macrocytic but gives no neurological signs. 'Hypothyroidism': it can cause macrocytosis but lacks neuropathy and intrinsic factor antibodies.
Practise more Clinical cases.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed Kuwait Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE / KIMS) mock tests.
More Clinical cases questions
- A 60-year-old smoker has crushing central chest pain for 40 minutes, sweating, and ST elevation in leads II, III and aVF. What is the most l…
- Which is the most appropriate initial treatment for Inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction?
- Which investigation best confirms Pulmonary embolism?
- Which complication or association is classically linked with Pulmonary embolism?
- After a road accident a man is gasping, has absent breath sounds on the right, a deviated trachea and low blood pressure. What is the most l…
- Which is the most appropriate initial treatment for Tension pneumothorax?