PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

What criteria are required to diagnose SIRS?

1. At least 2 of the following: fever, tachycardia, tachypnea

2. Only a single elevated WBC count

3. High blood pressure and fever

4. Body temperature below normal range

The correct answer is: At least 2 of the following: fever, tachycardia, tachypnea

To diagnose Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), at least two of the following criteria are required: fever, tachycardia, and tachypnea. This criterion recognizes the body's systemic reaction to different insults such as infection, trauma, or other inflammatory processes. Fever is defined as a body temperature above normal, typically more than 38°C (100.4°F), while tachycardia is characterized by a heart rate exceeding 90 beats per minute. Tachypnea indicates an increased respiratory rate, specifically greater than 20 breaths per minute or an arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO₂) less than 32 mmHg, highlighting the body's compensatory response to stress or inflammation. The other choices provided do not encompass the necessary features for a SIRS diagnosis. Only one elevated white blood cell count does not represent the criteria needed to fulfill the SIRS diagnostic criteria. While abnormal blood pressures can occur in SIRS states, high blood pressure alone does not contribute to the diagnosis of SIRS. Additionally, a body temperature below the normal range (hypothermia) is not a component of the SIRS diagnostic framework, as it is specifically the systemic temperature elevation or abnormalities that are being measured. Thus, meeting at