| carcinomatous myopathy | <syndrome> A condition characterised by muscle weakness that is similar to the symptoms of myasthenia gravis. For this reason, it has been referred to as myasthenic syndrome. This disorder is caused by an insufficient release of neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) by the nerve cells. Unlike myasthenia gravis, as muscle contractions are continued, strength will increase. The cause of Lambert-Eaton syndrome is unknown, but is usually associated with small cell carcinoma of the lung or an autoimmune illness. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| centronuclear myopathy | Slowly progressive generalised muscle weakness and atrophy beginning in childhood; on biopsy of skeletal muscle, the nuclei of most muscle fibres are seen to be located near the centre of a small fibre (the normal position for a 10-week embryo) rather than at the periphery of the fibre; familial incidence. Autosomal dominant recessive and X-linked [310400] forms occur. Synonym: myotubular myopathy. Distal myopathy, myopathy affecting predominantly the distal portions of the limbs; onset is usually after age 40, with weakness and wasting of small muscles of the hands; The infantile form and the Swedish later-onset are autosomal dominant and there is a Japanese late-onset type that is recessive. Minicore-multicore myopathy, an uncommon nonprogressive myopathy with early onset, proximal weakness, and hypotonia. Muscle fibres show focal defects of oxidative and myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase enzymes with disorganization of myofibril ultrastructure. Mitochondrial myopathy, weakness and hypotonia of muscles, primarily those of the neck, shoulder, and pelvic girdles, with onset in infancy or childhood; on biopsy, giant, bizarre mitochondria are seen located between muscle fibrils just beneath the sarcolemma. The dominant form is due to deletion of mitochondrial DNA and the recessive form is due to a complex deficiency. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rod myopathy | A congenital myofibrillar abnormality in which small threadlike or rod-shaped bodies are scattered through the muscle fibres. It is marked by hypotonia and proximal muscle weakness. It is also called rod myopathy with reference to the threadlike (greek nema, thread) rods or myofibrils (latin fibrilla, a little fibre or threadlike structure). (12 Dec 1998) |
| myopathy | <neurology> Any disease of a muscle. Origin: Gr. Pathos = disease (18 Nov 1997) |
| myotubular myopathy | Slowly progressive generalised muscle weakness and atrophy beginning in childhood; on biopsy of skeletal muscle, the nuclei of most muscle fibres are seen to be located near the centre of a small fibre (the normal position for a 10-week embryo) rather than at the periphery of the fibre; familial incidence. Autosomal dominant recessive and X-linked [310400] forms occur. Synonym: myotubular myopathy. Distal myopathy, myopathy affecting predominantly the distal portions of the limbs; onset is usually after age 40, with weakness and wasting of small muscles of the hands; The infantile form and the Swedish later-onset are autosomal dominant and there is a Japanese late-onset type that is recessive. Minicore-multicore myopathy, an uncommon nonprogressive myopathy with early onset, proximal weakness, and hypotonia. Muscle fibres show focal defects of oxidative and myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase enzymes with disorganization of myofibril ultrastructure. Mitochondrial myopathy, weakness and hypotonia of muscles, primarily those of the neck, shoulder, and pelvic girdles, with onset in infancy or childhood; on biopsy, giant, bizarre mitochondria are seen located between muscle fibrils just beneath the sarcolemma. The dominant form is due to deletion of mitochondrial DNA and the recessive form is due to a complex deficiency. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nemaline myopathy | A congenital myofibrillar abnormality in which small threadlike or rod-shaped bodies are scattered through the muscle fibres. It is marked by hypotonia and proximal muscle weakness. It is also called rod myopathy with reference to the threadlike (greek nema, thread) rods or myofibrils (latin fibrilla, a little fibre or threadlike structure). (12 Dec 1998) |
| ocular myopathy | A specific type of slowly worsening weakness of the ocular muscles, usually associated with a pigmentary retinopathy. See: Kearns-Sayre syndrome, oculopharyngeal dystrophy. Synonym: ocular myopathy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| thyrotoxic myopathy | Extreme muscular weakness in severe thyrotoxicosis affecting muscles of limbs and trunk as well as those used in speech and swallowing. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdomen, acute | Clinical syndrome characterised by abdominal pain of great severity associated with other symptoms and signs, usually those of acute peritonitis, which might well be the result of a ruptured abdominal viscus or a similar abdominal catastrophe requiring urgent surgical operation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute | 1. Sharp, poignant. 2. Having a short and relatively severe course. Origin: L. Acutus = sharp (18 Nov 1997) |
| acute abdomen | Any serious acute intra-abdominal condition (such as appendicitis) attended by pain, tenderness, and muscular rigidity, and for which emergency surgery must be considered. Synonym: surgical abdomen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute abscess | A recently formed abscess with little or no fibrosis in the wall of the cavity. Synonym: hot abscess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute adrenal crisis | <endocrinology> An abrupt life-threatening state which is caused by insufficient production of cortisol by the adrenal gland. A typical finding in Addison's disease. Individuals who have been taking corticosteroids (glucocorticoids) for a prolonged period of time (weeks to months) are at risk for acute adrenal crisis if the medication is stopped abruptly. For this reason, corticosteroid medication are withdrawn slowly on a diminishing dosing schedule. Symptoms include low blood pressure (shock), weakness, headache, vomiting, fever chills, tachycardia and sweating. Treatment includes blood pressure support and intravenous hydrocortisone. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute adrenocortical insufficiency | Severe adrenocortical insufficiency when an intercurrent illness or trauma causes an increased demand for adrenocortical hormones in a patient with adrenal insufficiency due to disease or use of relatively large amounts of similar hormones as therapy; characterised by nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and frequently hyperthemia, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, and hypoglycaemia; can be fatal if untreated. Synonym: addisonian crisis, adrenal crisis, Bernard-Sergent syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute African sleeping sickness | A disease of humans caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in eastern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to Zimbabwe; it is clinically similar to Gambian trypanosomiasis but of shorter duration and more acute in form; patients suffer repeated episodes of pyrexia, become anaemic, and die commonly from cardiac failure. Synonym: acute African sleeping sickness, acute trypanosomiasis, East African sleeping sickness, East African trypanosomiasis. (05 Mar 2000) |