Which combination of symptoms is associated with diabetic ketoacidosis?

• A. Chest pain, coughing, fainting spells, and leg swelling.
• B. Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, rapid or deep breathing, and fruity-smelling breath.
• C. Headache, joint stiffness, blurred vision, and rash.
• D. Diarrhea, dehydration, fever, and rash.

Answer: (B)

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body lacks insulin, causing high blood glucose and buildup of ketones that lead to metabolic acidosis. The acidosis triggers compensatory rapid, deep breathing (Kussmaul respiration) as the body tries to blow off excess CO2. Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are common GI symptoms in DKA, and a fruity breath comes from acetone, one of the ketone bodies. This combination—GI upset plus rapid/deep breathing and fruity breath—fits the classic DKA presentation best. The other symptom clusters point more to heart-lung issues, autoimmune or infectious processes, rather than the DKA pattern.