6 Integrated Clinical Cases and Review Free Online FlashCards

What are three broad ways immune problems can arise?

The main categories are inadequate immune defense, immune attack on the body’s own tissues, and deliberate suppression of immune activity.

Which immune function may be impaired when immunoglobulin levels are persistently low?

Humoral, or antibody-mediated, immunity is likely impaired. Persistently low immunoglobulin levels support this possibility.

Why can antibody deficiency fit recurrent respiratory infections and Giardia?

Antibodies help defend against many bacterial infections and some intestinal pathogens, so impaired antibody production can fit this pattern.

What makes lupus nephritis an autoimmune condition?

Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which immune activity can injure the body’s own tissues, including the kidneys.

What key trade-off comes with immunosuppressive treatment for autoimmune disease?

Treatment must balance control of autoimmune disease against risks such as infection, because immunosuppressive medicines reduce immune defenses.

Why assess fever and a new cough promptly in a patient taking prednisone and mycophenolate?

Infection should remain a serious possibility: prednisone and mycophenolate suppress immune defenses and increase infection risk. New fever and cough call for prompt clinical assessment, not an automatic increase in immunosuppression.

Why does a history of TB matter before starting a TNF inhibitor?

TNF inhibitors suppress immune activity and can raise the risk that TB infection progresses to active disease.

What does a positive TB test alone establish about latent versus active TB?

A positive TB test alone does not distinguish latent infection from active TB. Clinical evaluation is needed, and active disease must be excluded before latent-TB treatment begins.

What should a kidney-transplant recipient do after missed tacrolimus doses and reduced urine output?

Rejection is a serious possibility after missed anti-rejection doses, but reduced urine output can have other causes. Contact the transplant team promptly so graft function and the cause can be assessed.

Why should tacrolimus not be changed without the transplant team?

Do not independently stop, restart, or adjust tacrolimus. Changes can affect both rejection risk and infection risk.

What factors can make infection risk differ among transplant recipients?

Risk depends on factors such as time since transplant, treatment intensity, and clinical circumstances; recipients do not all share one risk profile.

What is the main safety concern with live vaccines during severe immunosuppression?

Live vaccines are generally avoided in severe immunosuppression because even the weakened organism may cause harm. Safety depends on the person’s treatment and degree of immunosuppression.