ABIM RHEUMATOLOGY ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
The most appropriate and cost-effective means of assessing the cause of acute monoarthritis -
Correct answers✔✔Aspiration and analysis of the synovial fluid for leukocytes, Gram stain with
culture, and crystals.
Ocular manifestations of systemic rheumatologic dx - Correct answers✔✔#Rheumatoid arthritis
- episcleritis and scleritis #Spondyloarthritis and sarcoidosis - uveitis and vasculitis
#Sjögren syndrome - Dry eyes ( kerato-conjunctivitis sicca)
Noninflammatory conditions causing elevations in ESR - Correct answers✔✔Kidney disease,
DM, pregnancy, and obesity
Rheumatoid factor - Correct answers✔✔Immunoglobulin directed against the Fc portion of IgG
Most specific antibodies characteristic of RA - Correct answers✔✔Anti-cyclic citrullinated
peptide
Synovial fluid leukocyte counts most often seen in infectious arthritis - Correct answers✔✔>
50,000/µL (50 × 109/L)
Prophylactic therapy for patients on chronic glucocorticoid therapy - Correct
answers✔✔Calcium and vitamin D supplementation
SE of Methrothrexate - Correct answers✔✔-Hepatitis
, =Bone marrow suppression (leukopenia, anemia). Patients with liver disease should not receive
methotrexate, and limitation of alcohol intake is strongly advised.
Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis - Correct answers✔✔First line - NSAIDs
2nd line (if above fails) - TNF-α inhibitors
Characteristic radiologic findings of RA - Correct answers✔✔- Periarticular osteopenia and
- Marginal (near the edges of the joint) erosions
*Erosive changes may not be evident early in dx
Most common cardiac manifestation of RA - Correct answers✔✔Pericarditis , often
asymptomatic.
Bony enlargement of a DIP joint in OA - Correct answers✔✔Heberden node
Bony enlargement of a PIP joint in OA - Correct answers✔✔Bouchard node.
Radiographic Hallmarks of OA - Correct answers✔✔- Joint-space narrowing (articular cartilage
loss)
- Osteophytes formation
- Sclerosis of subchondral bone,
- Subchondral cysts
- Lack of periarticular osteopenia
Presence of flowing osteophytes involving the anterolateral aspect of the thoracic spine at 4 or
more contiguous vertebrae with preservation of the intervertebral disk space and the absence of
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
The most appropriate and cost-effective means of assessing the cause of acute monoarthritis -
Correct answers✔✔Aspiration and analysis of the synovial fluid for leukocytes, Gram stain with
culture, and crystals.
Ocular manifestations of systemic rheumatologic dx - Correct answers✔✔#Rheumatoid arthritis
- episcleritis and scleritis #Spondyloarthritis and sarcoidosis - uveitis and vasculitis
#Sjögren syndrome - Dry eyes ( kerato-conjunctivitis sicca)
Noninflammatory conditions causing elevations in ESR - Correct answers✔✔Kidney disease,
DM, pregnancy, and obesity
Rheumatoid factor - Correct answers✔✔Immunoglobulin directed against the Fc portion of IgG
Most specific antibodies characteristic of RA - Correct answers✔✔Anti-cyclic citrullinated
peptide
Synovial fluid leukocyte counts most often seen in infectious arthritis - Correct answers✔✔>
50,000/µL (50 × 109/L)
Prophylactic therapy for patients on chronic glucocorticoid therapy - Correct
answers✔✔Calcium and vitamin D supplementation
SE of Methrothrexate - Correct answers✔✔-Hepatitis
, =Bone marrow suppression (leukopenia, anemia). Patients with liver disease should not receive
methotrexate, and limitation of alcohol intake is strongly advised.
Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis - Correct answers✔✔First line - NSAIDs
2nd line (if above fails) - TNF-α inhibitors
Characteristic radiologic findings of RA - Correct answers✔✔- Periarticular osteopenia and
- Marginal (near the edges of the joint) erosions
*Erosive changes may not be evident early in dx
Most common cardiac manifestation of RA - Correct answers✔✔Pericarditis , often
asymptomatic.
Bony enlargement of a DIP joint in OA - Correct answers✔✔Heberden node
Bony enlargement of a PIP joint in OA - Correct answers✔✔Bouchard node.
Radiographic Hallmarks of OA - Correct answers✔✔- Joint-space narrowing (articular cartilage
loss)
- Osteophytes formation
- Sclerosis of subchondral bone,
- Subchondral cysts
- Lack of periarticular osteopenia
Presence of flowing osteophytes involving the anterolateral aspect of the thoracic spine at 4 or
more contiguous vertebrae with preservation of the intervertebral disk space and the absence of
