The answer is C. 24 weeks

Prenatal care is extremely important. Screening for gestational diabetes is routinely done in pregnant patients at 24 weeks of gestation (typically until 28 weeks). Pregnancy is associated with insulin resistance, mostly because of the placenta’s secretion of human placental lactogen. There are bad consequences of gestational diabetes, so it is critical it is diagnosed and treated adequately.

The initial test is a one-hour 50-gram oral glucose tolerance test (GTT). A positive test >135 mg/dL. If a patient tests positive, they need to undergo the second test, which is a three-hour 100 mg oral GTT. The cut-offs are debated, but generally, the following are positive results: fasting > 95 mg/dL, 1 hour>180 mg/dL, 2 hours>155 mg/dL, 3 hours>140 mg/dL.

Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:

Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Reproductive System ⇒ Complicated Pregnancy ⇒ Gestational diabetes

Also covered as part of the Women’s Health EOR topic list

The answer is A. Hyponatremia

The patient has hypervolemic hyponatremia secondary to cirrhosis. The causes of hypervolemic hyponatremia are cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, and CHF. Symptoms include nausea, headache, lethargy, and seizures. It’s important to have an approach to hyponatremia since it is the most common electrolyte abnormality in the hospital.

• First, it’s important to rule out pseudohyponatremia due to proteins, glucose, or mannitol. Also, make sure it’s not a diuretic causing hyponatremia.


• Next, consider the volume status – are they hypervolemic, hypovolemic, or euvolemic?


• Hypovolemic causes are more obvious (emesis, hemorrhage, etc.); however, urinary sodium can help differentiate between hypovolemia and euvolemia. If uNA < 20, then this means the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is on and trying to maintain pressure/volume; therefore, it is likely the patient is hypovolemic.

Treatment of hyponatremia depends on the cause. It usually involves fluid restriction and possibly (and carefully) a hypertonic solution. Remember – rapid correction of hyponatremia can lead to central pontine myelinolysis.

Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:

Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Renal System ⇒ Fluid and Electrolyte Disorders ⇒ Hyponatremia

Also covered as part of the Internal Medicine EOR topic list

The answer is B. Atrioventricular block

The patient most likely has Lyme disease, which is a tick-borne illness usually caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. It is more prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Erythema migrans, which is a circular, expanding rash that may look like a “bull’s eye” is seen about 20% of the time with Lyme disease. Clinical features in the early localized disease include fever, headaches, malaise, arthralgia, and lymphadenopathy. Treatment is doxycycline for non-pregnant adults and children. Amoxicillin is a second-line treatment. A well-known cardiac complication is an atrioventricular block.

Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:

Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Infectious Disease ⇒ Spirochetal Disease ⇒ <a cla