skip to main content

Toxic shock syndrome — SCE Acute Medicine MCQ

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

ModerateSepsis and Infectious EmergenciesToxic shock syndromeSCE Acute Medicine

A 73-year-old woman presents with fever, systemic upset and acute deterioration. Relevant history includes a plausible infectious exposure or immunocompromising context. On assessment, NEWS2 is elevated and there are features of organ dysfunction. Investigations show shock, diffuse rash and multiorgan injury after retained nasal packing. What is the most appropriate next step in management?

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

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Remove the source and give broad-spectrum antibiotics including anti-toxin cover

The key discriminator is that shock, diffuse rash and multiorgan injury after retained nasal packing, which makes Remove the source and give broad-spectrum antibiotics including anti-toxin cover the single best answer. Call critical care for escalation is less appropriate because it does not address the dominant acute risk in the vignette; Arrange urgent CT imaging would fit a different presentation or later stage of care. Give targeted antidote or reversal therapy and Provide supportive care and close monitoring are suboptimal because they would either delay time-critical treatment or follow the wrong acute pathway. Teaching point: SCE-style acute medicine questions usually test prioritisation using physiology, timing and a guideline-defined threshold, rather than isolated factual recall.

Reference: UKHSA guidance; BNF