MLS Treatment Planning & Management 2

Question 1

A patient with iron deficiency anemia is prescribed oral ferrous sulfate. Which laboratory parameter is the BEST indicator of early treatment response?

Accepted Answer

Reticulocyte count

Answer

Reticulocyte count rises within 3–5 days of starting iron therapy, making it the earliest measurable response to treatment.

Question 2

A patient on warfarin therapy has an INR of 5.8 with no active bleeding. According to standard management guidelines, the MOST appropriate action is to:

Accepted Answer

Hold warfarin doses and recheck INR in 24–48 hours

Answer

For an elevated INR (4.5–10) without bleeding, guidelines recommend withholding warfarin and rechecking rather than routine vitamin K administration.

Question 3

Which heparin monitoring test is used specifically to guide unfractionated heparin (UFH) therapy in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome?

Accepted Answer

Anti-Xa assay

Answer

Anti-Xa assay is preferred for UFH monitoring in antiphospholipid syndrome because lupus anticoagulant can falsely prolong the aPTT, making it unreliable.

Question 4

A bone marrow transplant patient develops a CBC showing WBC 0.2 × 10³/µL, platelet count 8 × 10³/µL, and Hgb 7.1 g/dL on day 10 post-transplant. This finding is MOST consistent with:

Accepted Answer

Expected engraftment nadir

Answer

Pancytopenia around day 10–14 post-transplant represents the expected nadir before donor stem cell engraftment begins producing new blood cells.

Question 5

A patient receiving methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis has a serum creatinine of 2.4 mg/dL. The MOST important clinical concern related to this finding is:

Accepted Answer

Increased risk of methotrexate toxicity due to reduced renal clearance

Answer

Methotrexate is renally cleared; impaired kidney function leads to drug accumulation, increasing risk of bone marrow suppression and mucositis.

(MLS) Medical Laboratory Scientist Practice Test

(MLS) Medical Laboratory Scientist Practice Test

MLS Treatment Planning & Management 2