Question

Samara P. is a 30 year old African American nurse who works in the public health clinic with you. She was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythamtosus 10 years ago and is being treated with methotrexate, prednisone, calcium supplements, and ibuprofen. She often jokes in the cafeteria that she would "rather have another baby" than come visit the dental clinic. Her new physician has read the studies linking oral and systemic health and insists that she make an appointment for a prophylaxis and a complete dental checkup. When you take her back to your treatment area and assess her vital signs, her blood pressure is 160/100 mm Hg and her pulse rate is 100 bpm, which, she states, are her usual readings. After taking her radiographs and performing a thorough assessment, you formulate a dental hygiene diagnosis of moderate bone loss and moderate periodontitis, although her oral hygiene is excellent. You have just started cling the upper right quadrant when she complains of severe stomach pain and then lapses into unconsciousness. You reassess her blood pressure, and it has dropped to 80/60 mm Hg. You immediately dial 911.

Which tissue responses would you expect at the completion of periodontal debridement for Samara?
A. Gingival enlargement
B. Normal healing response
C. Delayed healing response
D. Accelerated healing response

Answer 1

After periodontal debridement, Samara P., who has systemic lupus erythematosus, is expected to experience a delayed healing response due to her autoimmune disorder and the immunosuppressive medications she is taking.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario describes Samara P., a 30-year-old African American nurse with systemic lupus erythematosus, undergoing periodontal debridement. Given her autoimmune condition and treatment with immunosuppressants such as methotrexate and steroids like prednisone one would anticipate a delayed healing response (C).

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) inherently disrupts normal immune functions and combined with the immunosuppressive medication can impair wound healing and increase susceptibility to infection. Furthermore Samara's severe reaction during the dental procedure raises concerns about her overall health stability and possible adverse effects from the therapy she is receiving.