Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 150 • LITFL • FFFF

Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF, introducing the Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 150

Question 1

The incredibly rare condition “immigration delay disease” tends only to live up to it’s name if you are travelling to the USA. What does this congential condition cause?

Reveal the funtabulous answer

Adermatoglyphia – or an absence of fingerprints.

This is a problem as fingerprinting is an integral part of the entry process into the USA. Although thought to be autosomal dominant, the condition is very rare..

Burger B, Fuchs D, Sprecher E, Itin P. The immigration delay disease: Adermatoglyphia–inherited absence of epidermal ridges. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011 May;64(5):974-80.

Question 2

The wording of this BMJ (1961) advert is particularly tragic. Distival is a brand name for which medication?

Reveal the funtabulous answer

Thalidomide [Reference]

Question 3

Your gran phones you, horrified that the newest medication she has been prescribed is also used as “possum poison”. With a medical history of hypertension, dermatitis, osteoporosis, and Parkinson’s disease, which medication is she likely to be talking about?

Reveal the funtabulous answer

Cholecalciferol

Used as a possum poison to cause lethal hypercalcaemia. [Reference]

Question 4

What is Bozzolo sign?

Reveal the funtabulous answer

Pulsatile vessels in the nasal mucous membrane, seen occasionally in thoracic aortic aneurysm.

Camillo Bozzolo (1845 – 1920) was an Italian physician

Bozzolo C. Atti del Congresso dell’Associazione medica italiana 1887

Question 5

What does the patient with Fregoli delusion believe?

Reveal the funtabulous answer

It is a rare disorder in which a person holds a delusional belief that different people are in fact a single person who changes appearance or is in disguise.

It is associated with L-dopa therapy and traumatic brain injury

Named after the Italian actor Leopoldo Fregoli, who was renowned for his ability to make quick changes of appearance during his stage act.