CEA Nursing Practice Exam

A diagnosis of glomerulonephritis can be made based on which finding in a patient with a recent streptococcal infection?

1. Pyelonephritis

2. Bladder cancer

3. Glomerulonephritis

4. Gram negative bacteremia

The correct answer is: Glomerulonephritis

A diagnosis of glomerulonephritis, particularly post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, can indeed be established based on specific findings that arise following a recent streptococcal infection. In cases of glomerulonephritis, the body's immune response to the streptococcal bacteria leads to inflammation of the glomeruli in the kidneys. Key indicators for diagnosing glomerulonephritis include the presence of hematuria (blood in urine), proteinuria (excess protein in urine), and elevated levels of serum creatinine. These symptoms typically manifest shortly after the streptococcal infection, making it a significant correlational factor in the diagnosis. The other findings mentioned—such as conditions like pyelonephritis (a kidney infection), bladder cancer, and gram-negative bacteremia—do not specifically relate to the immune-mediated glomerular damage that characterizes glomerulonephritis. Thus, the clinical picture and laboratory findings supporting the diagnosis focus primarily on the kidney-related symptoms tied directly to the inflammatory process of glomerulonephritis following a streptococcal infection.