Nasal polyps in a 10-year-old child with recurrent pulmonary infections and steatorrhea should prompt testing for:
- A Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
- B Primary ciliary dyskinesia (nasal nitric oxide measurement)
- C Cystic fibrosis (sweat chloride test or CFTR mutation analysis) ✓
- D IgA deficiency
Correct answer: C. Cystic fibrosis (sweat chloride test or CFTR mutation analysis)
Explanation
Nasal polyps in a child (rare in the absence of systemic disease), combined with recurrent pulmonary infections and fat malabsorption (steatorrhea due to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency), is the classic triad of cystic fibrosis (CF). Up to 20% of CF patients develop nasal polyps. All children with nasal polyps should be screened for CF with a sweat chloride test (>60 mmol/L is diagnostic) or CFTR mutation analysis. Primary ciliary dyskinesia presents with bronchiectasis and situs inversus (Kartagener syndrome), but not steatorrhea.
Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.