Connective tissue disease: limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis: practice question

A Dermatology 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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Dermatology · Connective tissue disease: limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis

Sample item

A 48-year-old woman has long-standing Raynaud phenomenon, tight skin of the fingers, telangiectasia on the face, subcutaneous calcinosis and dysphagia. Which antibody is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Anticentromere antibody

This is the CREST (limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis) picture with calcinosis, Raynaud, oesophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia. Anticentromere antibodies are characteristic and associated with pulmonary hypertension. Anti-Scl-70 marks diffuse disease with lung fibrosis.

Option by option

  • A. Anticentromere antibody (correct)

    Correct. Anticentromere antibodies mark limited systemic sclerosis.

  • B. Anti-Scl-70

    Anti-Scl-70 is more typical of diffuse disease.

  • C. Anti-Sm

    Anti-Sm is specific for SLE.

  • D. Anti-RNA polymerase III

    Anti-RNA polymerase III is linked to diffuse disease and renal crisis.

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.

More Dermatology questions

Questions about this Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is A, Anticentromere antibody. This is the CREST (limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis) picture with calcinosis, Raynaud, oesophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia.

Why is "Anti-Scl-70" not the answer?

Anti-Scl-70 is more typical of diffuse disease.

Why is "Anti-Sm" not the answer?

Anti-Sm is specific for SLE.

Why is "Anti-RNA polymerase III" not the answer?

Anti-RNA polymerase III is linked to diffuse disease and renal crisis.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Connective tissue disease: limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis in Dermatology. Anticentromere antibodies are characteristic and associated with pulmonary hypertension. Anti-Scl-70 marks diffuse disease with lung fibrosis.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Connective tissue disease: limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis?

Learn each condition by its primary lesion, site and signature sign. Then use the flashcards and the other Dermatology 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.