Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CSEM) 

Environmental Triggers of Asthma
Posttest

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In compliance with continuing education requirements, all presenters must disclose any financial or other relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters as well as any use of unlabeled product(s) or product(s) under investigational use.

CDC/ATSDR, our planners, and the presenters for this seminar do not have financial or other relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters. This presentation does not involve the unlabeled use of a product or product under investigational use.

Online Instructions

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Posttest

1. Asthma has been defined as
   1. Reversible airway obstruction.
   2. Chronic airway inflammation.
   3. Nonreversible airway obstruction.
   4. A and B.
   5. B and C.
2. In the diagnosis of asthma in adults, all the following are true except
   1. Reversibility of airway obstruction on spirometry testing after bronchodilators, as demonstrated by an increase of 12% in the FEV1 with an absolute minimum improvement of at least 200 mL.
   2. The use of peak flow measurements alone is usually sufficient to diagnose asthma.
   3. Chest radiographs are generally not helpful.
   4. In patients with mild asthma with normal spirometry results, nonspecific provocation testing (e.g., methacholine challenge testing) can be used to demonstrate the presence of hyperresponsive airways.
   5. Airway obstruction is generally considered present when the FEV1/FVC ratio is < 65% and the FVC as a percent predicted is normal.
3. Risk factors for the development of asthma include all of the following except
   1. Personal or family history of atopy.
   2. Prenatal smoking by the mother.
   3. Personal or family history of hypertension.
   4. Chronic allergic rhinitis.
   5. Exposure to increased concentrations of dust mite allergens.
4. For biologic allergens, which of these statements is false?
   1. Biologic allergens are ubiquitous in the environment.
   2. Biologic allergens are increased with the presence of carpets and upholstered furniture.
   3. Biologic allergens are associated with 10% humidity in the case of dust mites.
   4. Biologic allergens are associated with water-damaged areas.
   5. Biologic allergens are associated with residential furry or feathered pets.
5. Physical examination of a patient with asthma would be least likely to reveal
   1. Allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis.
   2. Focal persistent wheezing involving the base of one lung.
   3. Normal findings on chest auscultation.
   4. Atopic dermatitis.
   5. Prolonged expiratory phase and diffuse wheezing on chest auscultation.
6. The treatment for dust mite and cockroach allergens includes all of the following except
   1. Cover mattresses and pillows with allergen impermeable cover.
   2. Use a professional exterminator as initial step.
   3. Wash bed items in hot water (130°f [55°c]).
   4. Limit food consumption to one area of the house.
   5. Remove wall-to-wall carpets, particularly in bedrooms.
7. Management of cockroach allergen should be accomplished first by hygienic measures, such as
   1. Maintaining clean areas and limiting food consumption to only one area, such as the kitchen.
   2. Caulking holes in walls, cupboards, and cabinets.
   3. Storing food in closed containers.
   4. Using individual bait stations.
   5. All of the above.
8. Conditions which may be confused with asthma in children include all of the following except
   1. Foreign body aspiration.
   2. Enlarged lymph nodes or tumor.
   3. Hematochezia.
   4. Gastroesophageal reflux.
9. Conditions which may be confused with asthma in adults include all of the following except
   1. Epistaxis.
   2. COPD.
   3. Pulmonary embolism.
   4. Cough and wheezing secondary to ACE inhibitors.
10. Risk of asthma may be increased by
    1. Living near a heavily traveled roadway.
    2. Heavy exercise on a day with an AQI of 130.
    3. Spending over 1 hour each day riding a diesel-powered bus.
    4. All of the above.
11. The leading cause of occupational asthma is exposure to
    1. Latex.
    2. Spider mites.
    3. Diisocyanates.
    4. Epoxy.
12. Medical history questions about environmental asthma triggers should include
    1. Tobacco smoke.
    2. Pets.
    3. Bedding and laundering practices.
    4. All of the above.
13. It is possible to make the diagnosis of asthma without detectable wheezing
    1. True.
    2. False.
14. Your overall treatment, management, and prevention goals might include
    1. Confirmation of asthma diagnosis and gauge of severity.
    2. Optimal pharmacotherapy with minimal or no adverse effects.
    3. Education of the patient and family regarding primary and secondary preventive measures, including smoking cessation.
    4. All of the above.
15. Goals for the general management of a patient with asthma should include
    1. Normal or near-normal lung function.
    2. Careful monitoring prevention of chronic asthma symptoms and exacerbations day and night.
    3. Normal activity maintained (including exercise and other physical activities).
    4. All of the above.
16. Important moderating variables affecting how environmental exposures may exacerbate or cause asthma include
    1. Age and timing of exposure relative to disease development.
    2. Dose and frequency of exposure.
    3. Genetic predispositions in response and co exposures.
    4. All of the above.
17. The hygiene hypothesis of asthma states that naturally occurring infections and allergen exposures might essentially protect against the development of asthma and allergic and autoimmune diseases
    1. True.
    2. False.

Relevant Content

To review content relevant to the posttest questions, see:

Overview of Asthma

Diagnosis and Evaluation

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

Environmental Triggers of Asthma

Diagnosis and Evaluation

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

Differential Diagnosis of Asthma

Differential Diagnosis of Asthma

Environmental Triggers of Asthma

Environmental Triggers of Asthma

Diagnosis and Evaluation

Diagnosis and Evaluation

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

Treatment, Management, and Prevention