A patient with a history of chronic liver disease presents with bruising, petechiae, and mucosal bleeding. Laboratory tests reveal prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) with decreased platelet count. Which of the following conditions is most likely to cause these findings?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a condition characterized by widespread activation of coagulation leading to both thrombosis and hemorrhage. In patients with chronic liver disease, especially in the setting of advanced cirrhosis, DIC can develop due to factors such as decreased synthesis of coagulation factors and impaired clearance of activated clotting factors. The patient in this scenario presents with signs of both abnormal bleeding (bruising, petechiae, mucosal bleeding) and laboratory findings consistent with DIC, including prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) along with decreased platelet count.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The clinical presentation of recurrent episodes of epistaxis, gum bleeding, and easy bruising, along with laboratory findings of prolonged bleeding time, normal platelet count, and normal coagulation studies (PT and aPTT) are highly suggestive of Von Willebrand disease. Von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder and is characterized by a deficiency or dysfunction of von Willebrand factor (vWF), which plays a key role in platelet adhesion and aggregation. The prolonged bleeding time is due to impaired platelet adhesion to the damaged vessel wall in the absence of functional vWF. Normal platelet count and normal PT/aPTT help differentiate Von Willebrand disease from other bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and platelet function disorders like Glanzmann thrombasthenia and Bernard-Soulier syndrome.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The presentation of sudden-onset unilateral facial droop, arm weakness, and slurred speech that partially resolved within 30 minutes is more consistent with a transient ischemic attack (TIA) rather than an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. TIAs are caused by temporary decreases in blood flow to a specific area of the brain, leading to transient neurological deficits that typically last for less than 24 hours. In this case, the symptoms partially resolving suggest a temporary and reversible ischemic event, characteristic of a TIA. Ischemic strokes involve more prolonged or permanent impairment due to blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain, while hemorrhagic strokes involve bleeding within the brain tissue or the surrounding membranes.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The patient is presenting with symptoms consistent with cluster headache. Cluster headaches are characterized by recurrent episodes of severe unilateral (ipsilateral) headache accompanied by lacrimation (tearing from the eyes), rhinorrhea (runny nose), and ptosis (drooping of the eyelid). These headaches often occur in clusters over a period of weeks to months, hence the name "cluster headache."

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Pituitary adenoma is the most likely neurological condition responsible for the described symptoms of acute onset severe headache, visual disturbances, and altered mental status when a tumor is found compressing the optic chiasm. Pituitary adenomas are benign tumors arising from the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain. As the tumor grows, it can compress nearby structures such as the optic chiasm, leading to visual disturbances (due to pressure on the optic nerves), severe headache (due to increased intracranial pressure), and altered mental status (due to effects on nearby brain structures).