GI System USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 12-year-old girl is brought to the physician because of a 2-hour history of severe epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting. Her father has a history of similar episodes of abdominal pain and developed diabetes mellitus at the age of 30 years. Abdominal examination shows guarding and rigidity. Ultrasonography of the abdomen shows diffuse enlargement of the pancreas; no gallstones are visualized. Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this patient's condition?
Answer choices
- ADefective bilirubin glucuronidation
- BElevated serum amylase levels
- CPremature activation of trypsinogenCorrect answer
- DDefective elastase inhibitor
- EImpaired cellular copper transport
See the full explanation
Get the correct-answer rationale, why each distractor is wrong, the underlying mechanism, and high-yield associations — plus adaptive practice that targets your weak areas — with a free MedBoardPRO account.