A 29-Year-Old Man Comes to the Office Due to Progressive

question 305

Multiple Choice

A 29-year-old man comes to the office due to progressive headaches, fatigue, and visual disturbances for the past 6 weeks.  He was diagnosed with sarcoidosis a year ago after having a dry cough and hypercalcemia.  The patient's condition was treated with oral glucocorticoid therapy, which was discontinued after 6 months due to improvement in symptoms.  Physical examination reveals bitemporal defects on visual field testing but is otherwise normal.  Laboratory studies again show mild hypercalcemia, but the remainder of the values, including complete blood count, serum glucose, creatinine, and electrolytes, are within normal reference ranges.  MRI of the brain reveals a soft tissue mass involving the hypothalamus and pituitary stalk.  Which of the following pituitary hormones is most likely elevated in this patient?

• A)ACTH
• B)Growth hormone
• C)Prolactin
• D)Thyrotropin
• E)Vasopressin

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Definitions:

Concrete Operations

A phase within Piaget's cognitive development theory where kids develop the skill to logically process actual occurrences.

Conservation

The management of resources to prevent depletion or harm, ensuring their sustainability for future generations.

Temperament

The innate aspect of an individual's personality, including disposition, mood, and emotional reactivity, observable from a young age.

Exosystem

A term in ecological systems theory describing societal structures that indirectly influence the individual, such as parental workplaces or community health services.