A 24-year-old man with episodic wheeze and nocturnal cough undergoes sputum examination during an acute attack. The smear shows twisted mucus plugs and hexagonal, double-pointed crystals. These two findings correspond to:
- A Asteroid bodies and Schaumann bodies
- B Curschmann spirals and Charcot-Leyden crystals ✓
- C Ferruginous bodies and asbestos bodies
- D Bence Jones protein and Mott cells
Correct answer: B. Curschmann spirals and Charcot-Leyden crystals
Explanation
In asthma, whorled strands of mucus shed into the airway lumen form Curschmann spirals, while Charcot-Leyden crystals are hexagonal, double-pointed crystals composed of galectin-10 derived from degenerating eosinophils. Their presence reflects the eosinophil-rich airway inflammation of allergic asthma. Asteroid and Schaumann bodies belong to sarcoidal granulomas, and ferruginous bodies indicate asbestos exposure, so these distractors describe unrelated granulomatous and pneumoconiotic pathology rather than asthmatic airway contents.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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