skip to main content

MND – NIV Threshold — SCE Neurology MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardPeripheral Neuropathy & NeuromuscularMND – NIV ThresholdSCE Neurology

A 55-year-old labelled as treatment-resistant CIDP has severe demyelinating neuropathy, thrombocytosis, oedema, skin hyperpigmentation, a small lambda paraprotein and several sclerotic bone lesions. Which blood test most directly supports the unifying diagnosis?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Measure serum vascular endothelial growth factor concentration

Explanation lettering: B = shown as A · C = shown as B · E = shown as C · A = shown as D · D = shown as E

A would support anti-MAG paraproteinaemic neuropathy but not the multisystem thrombocytosis, oedema and sclerotic lesions. B can be raised in CIDP and is non-specific. C is correct: the mandatory neuropathy and monoclonal plasma-cell disorder plus major and minor systemic features strongly suggest POEMS; markedly raised VEGF is a key major criterion and discriminator. D defines an autoimmune nodopathy. E supports multifocal motor neuropathy, which is a pure motor disorder.

Reference: POEMS syndrome: update on diagnosis, risk stratification and management: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5584767/