Review Question - QID 212717

A 48-year-old homeless man presents to a free clinic complaining of several weeks of bleeding gums. He states that he has not seen dental or medical care for several years and that the bleeding has been painless. He normally sleeps on the street or occasionally stays at a shelter and typically eats 1-2 fast food meals per day. On exam, his temperature is 98.4°F (36.9°C), blood pressure is 122/76 mmHg, pulse is 64/min, and respirations are 12/min. He has poor dentition and significant periodontal disease with notable areas of bleeding gingiva. The patient is found to have coarse hair and on further questioning, the patient endorses the recent loss of 2 of his teeth and several weeks of fatigue. Which of the following processes is most immediately affected by his condition?