Environmental health: lead poisoning: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Environmental health: lead poisoning

Sample item

A battery factory worker has anaemia with basophilic stippling in red cells and a bluish line along the gum margin. The likely diagnosis is:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Chronic lead poisoning

Basophilic stippling, anaemia, a gingival Burtonian line, abdominal colic and wrist drop are features of lead poisoning. Mercury causes tremors and stomatitis, and cadmium causes renal damage and itai-itai disease.

Option by option

  • A. Chronic arsenic poisoning

    Arsenic causes skin pigmentation and keratosis.

  • B. Mercury poisoning

    Mercury causes tremors and erethism.

  • C. Cadmium poisoning

    Cadmium affects kidneys and bone.

  • D. Chronic lead poisoning (correct)

    Correct. These features point to lead poisoning.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is D, Chronic lead poisoning. Basophilic stippling, anaemia, a gingival Burtonian line, abdominal colic and wrist drop are features of lead poisoning.

Why is "Chronic arsenic poisoning" not the answer?

Arsenic causes skin pigmentation and keratosis.

Why is "Mercury poisoning" not the answer?

Mercury causes tremors and erethism.

Why is "Cadmium poisoning" not the answer?

Cadmium affects kidneys and bone.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Environmental health: lead poisoning in PSM. Mercury causes tremors and stomatitis, and cadmium causes renal damage and itai-itai disease.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Environmental health: lead poisoning?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.