Inflammatory Bowel Disease USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 19-year-old college student presents with acute-onset bloating, abdominal cramping, and watery diarrhea after consuming milkshakes. Vital signs: BP 118/76, HR 88, RR 16, Temp 98.6°F, SpO2 98%. Symptoms resolve when dairy products are avoided. Laboratory studies show normal inflammatory markers (CRP <0.3 mg/dL, ESR 8 mm/hr) and normal colonoscopy. He reports no blood in stool or weight loss. Which of the following best explains his diarrhea?
Answer choices
- AInflammatory diarrhea due to neutrophilic mucosal invasion
- BMalabsorptive diarrhea due to pancreatic lipase deficiency
- CExudative diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption from terminal ileal disease
- DSecretory diarrhea due to increased cyclic AMP in enterocytes
- EOsmotic diarrhea due to an unabsorbed carbohydrate loadCorrect answer
- FBloody diarrhea due to allergic colitis from milk protein hypersensitivity
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