MCQs (3rd year)
1. Osteoarthritis occurs as a result of:
A. Deficiency of calcium in young people.
B. Gradual degeneration of the movable joints, due to wear and tear of the articular
cartilage,with the advancing age.
C. Low levels of estrogen in older women.
2. Osteoarthritis of the finger joints is more common in the females, while in males hip
or knee are commonly affected. Is this statement true or false?
A. True
B. False
3. Osteoarthritis affecting the distal inter phalangeal joints (i.e. first finger joint from
the finger tip) is known as:
A. Bouchard's nodes
B. Richard's nodes
C. Heberden's nodes
4. Hip osteoarthritis is never attributed to congenital defect in the anatomy of the hip
joint.
A. True
B. False
5. Typical pain of osteoarthritis is:
A. Aggravated by rest and relieved by use.
B. Aggravated by use and relieved by rest.
C. Aggravated by use as well as from rest.
6. Stiffness of the involved joint upon arising in the morning or after immobility (e.g.
following a long ride in a car) is a prominent symptom of osteoarthritis. Is this
statement true or false?
A. True
B. False
7. A 55 year old builder presents with a 4 month history of increasing difficulties with
walking. He is now only able to walk about 1km before he develops tightness of the
right buttock radiating down to the foot. He is forced to rest for about 5 minutes,
after which he can resume walking for a little further. Apart from an accident at
work when he fell onto his back 9 months ago, he is a non-smoker, and has no
significant past medical history. There is no night pain, or rest pain.
On examination no neurological abnormalities were found. Lumbar spine
movements were reduced on extension. Peripheral pulses were present. There was
no tenderness on palpation of the spine.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bony metastatic disease
B. Intermittent claudication
C. Osteoarthritis
D. Spinal canal stenosis
E. Vertebral fracture
8. A 45 year old female factory worker presents with a 5-year history of gradually
progressive swellings of the proximal and distal inter-phalangeal joints. The
development of swelling is associated with pain for about 3-6 months, which then
subsides. Early morning stiffness lasts for about 30 minutes, and the symptoms are
worse in the evenings. She has been using paracetamol and ibuprofen with modest
benefit. She has 2 first-degree relatives with rheumatoid arthritis. On examination,
there are several non-tender dorso-lateral bony swellings of the proximal and distal
inter-phalangeal joints bilaterally, with mild ulnar deviation of both index distal
interphalangeal joints. She also has bilateral knee crepitus.
The rheumatoid factor done by her GP is negative.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Crystal arthropathy
B. Haemochromatosis
C. Nodal generalised osteoarthritis
D. Psoriatic arthritis
E. Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis
9. The initial abnormality in primary osteoarthritis is:
A. in the synovial membrane
B. sclerosis of cartilage
C. fibrillation of cartilage
D. an osteophyte
E. a pannus
10. The initial abnormality in rheumatoid arthritis is:
A. fibrillation of cartilage
B. sclerosis of cartilage
C. in the synovial membrane
D. in the capsule
E. proliferation of bone
ANSWERS:
1. B
2. True
3. C
4. False
5. B
6. True
7. D
8. C
9. C
10. C
