CCTN Trivia 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which immunosuppressant drug class works by blocking calcineurin to prevent T-cell activation?
- mTOR inhibitors
- Calcineurin inhibitors (Correct answer)
- Antimetabolites
- Corticosteroids
Correct answer: Calcineurin inhibitors
Calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus and cyclosporine block calcineurin, preventing IL-2 production and T-cell proliferation.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing)?
- Performing transplant surgeries
- Managing the national organ transplant system and waitlist (Correct answer)
- Funding transplant research
- Training transplant nurses
Correct answer: Managing the national organ transplant system and waitlist
UNOS manages the national organ transplant system under contract with HRSA, maintaining the waitlist and matching policies.
Question 3: A liver transplant recipient develops new-onset hypertension and nephrotoxicity. Which immunosuppressant is most likely responsible?
- Mycophenolate mofetil
- Azathioprine
- Tacrolimus (Correct answer)
- Sirolimus
Correct answer: Tacrolimus
Tacrolimus (a calcineurin inhibitor) is a common cause of nephrotoxicity and hypertension in transplant recipients.
Question 4: What does the term 'crossmatch' refer to in transplantation?
- Matching blood types between donor and recipient
- Testing recipient serum against donor lymphocytes for preformed antibodies (Correct answer)
- Comparing organ size compatibility
- Evaluating HLA antigen similarity
Correct answer: Testing recipient serum against donor lymphocytes for preformed antibodies
A crossmatch tests whether recipient serum contains antibodies that react against donor cells, predicting hyperacute rejection risk.
Question 5: Which type of rejection occurs within minutes to hours after transplantation due to preformed antibodies?
- Acute cellular rejection
- Chronic rejection
- Hyperacute rejection (Correct answer)
- Accelerated rejection
Correct answer: Hyperacute rejection
Hyperacute rejection is mediated by preformed recipient antibodies against donor antigens and occurs immediately after perfusion.
Question 6: What is the significance of Panel Reactive Antibody (PRA) percentage in transplant candidates?
- It measures kidney function
- It indicates the percentage of donor pool against which the patient has antibodies (Correct answer)
- It determines blood type compatibility
- It measures liver enzyme levels
Correct answer: It indicates the percentage of donor pool against which the patient has antibodies
A high PRA means the recipient has antibodies against a large portion of potential donors, making compatible matching more difficult.
Question 7: Which of the following is a classic sign of acute rejection in a kidney transplant recipient?
- Polyuria and hypotension
- Oliguria, rising creatinine, and graft tenderness (Correct answer)
- Hypoglycemia and jaundice
- Fever and skin rash only
Correct answer: Oliguria, rising creatinine, and graft tenderness
Acute kidney rejection typically presents with decreased urine output, rising serum creatinine, and tenderness over the transplanted kidney.
CCTN Trivia 2
Which immunosuppressant drug class works by blocking calcineurin to prevent T-cell activation?