Valvular Heart Disease USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 23-year-old woman with hypermobile joints and translucent skin presents with palpitations. Vital signs: BP 118/76 mmHg, HR 92/min, RR 16/min, SpO2 98% on room air. Cardiac examination reveals a midsystolic click and late systolic murmur at the apex. Echocardiography shows mitral valve leaflet prolapse with mild regurgitation. She denies orthopnea. Which histopathologic change most likely underlies her valvular abnormality?
Answer choices
- ACalcific nodules with commissural fusion
- BNoncaseating granulomas in the valve cusp
- CFibrinoid necrosis of the valve annulus
- DMyxomatous degeneration with accumulation of proteoglycansCorrect answer
- ECaseating granulomatous inflammation
- FHyaline fibrosis with collagen cross-linking and reduced elastin
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