Pancreas: Ranson criteria: practice question

A General Surgery 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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General Surgery · Pancreas: Ranson criteria

Sample item

Which of the following is an admission (zero hour) Ranson criterion for non-gallstone pancreatitis?

AFall in haematocrit of more than 10 percentBAge above 55 yearsCBase deficit above 4 mEq/LDSerum calcium below 8 mg/dL

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Age above 55 years

Admission criteria are age above 55, WBC above 16,000, glucose above 200 mg/dL, LDH above 350 and AST above 250. At 48 hours the criteria are haematocrit fall, BUN rise, calcium below 8, PaO2 below 60, base deficit above 4 and fluid sequestration above 6 L. Three or more criteria predict severe disease.

Option by option

A. Fall in haematocrit of more than 10 percent
Haematocrit fall is a 48-hour criterion.
B. Age above 55 years (correct)
Correct. Age above 55 is assessed on admission.
C. Base deficit above 4 mEq/L
Base deficit is a 48-hour criterion.
D. Serum calcium below 8 mg/dL
Hypocalcaemia is a 48-hour criterion.

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.

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is B, Age above 55 years. Admission criteria are age above 55, WBC above 16,000, glucose above 200 mg/dL, LDH above 350 and AST above 250.

Why is "Fall in haematocrit of more than 10 percent" not the answer?

Haematocrit fall is a 48-hour criterion.

Why is "Base deficit above 4 mEq/L" not the answer?

Base deficit is a 48-hour criterion.

Why is "Serum calcium below 8 mg/dL" not the answer?

Hypocalcaemia is a 48-hour criterion.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Pancreas: Ranson criteria in General Surgery. At 48 hours the criteria are haematocrit fall, BUN rise, calcium below 8, PaO2 below 60, base deficit above 4 and fluid sequestration above 6 L. Three or more criteria predict severe disease.

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 Pancreas: Ranson criteria?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery 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.