Vascular Disease USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 24-year-old woman presents with episodic finger color changes during winter exposure. She reports digits turning white, then blue, and finally red upon rewarming. Vital signs today: BP 118/76, HR 78, RR 16, Temp 37°C, SpO2 98% on room air. Physical examination between episodes is normal with intact peripheral pulses. Nailfold capillaroscopy shows normal findings. She denies Raynaud phenomenon-associated symptoms such as digital ulcers or tissue loss. Which of the following best explains this condition?
Answer choices
- ACalcific stenosis of the brachial artery
- BThrombotic occlusion due to tobacco exposure
- CImmune complex vasculitis of medium sized vessels
- DTransient vasospasm of small arteries and arteriolesCorrect answer
- EFixed atherosclerotic obstruction of the digital arteries
- FCryoglobulin precipitation in digital blood vessels
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