Dental OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) Practice Exam

Which condition is characterized by increased fatigue and decreased trabeculation in the bone marrow?

1. Anemia

2. Sickle cell anemia

3. Leukemia

4. Multiple myeloma

The correct answer is: Sickle cell anemia

The condition characterized by increased fatigue and decreased trabeculation in the bone marrow is multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that specifically affects plasma cells, which are a crucial component of the immune system. In this condition, there is an abnormal proliferation of these malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow, leading to the crowding out of normal hematopoietic cells. This results in decreased trabeculation, which refers to the loss of the bony structures that are normally present in healthy bone marrow. Patients with multiple myeloma often experience significant fatigue due to anemia, which can also be a consequence of the disease as the production of red blood cells is impaired. The pathological changes in the bone marrow include not only decreased trabeculation but also the presence of lytic lesions in bones, resulting in further complications such as bone pain and skeletal fractures. While anemia and sickle cell anemia can lead to fatigue and other symptoms, they do not specifically involve the hallmark findings of decreased trabeculation and the specific malignancy of plasma cells found in multiple myeloma. Leukemia is another hematological malignancy but typically presents with a different bone marrow morphology and clinical features.