| celiac sprue | <gastroenterology> An inherited disease where the intestinal lining is inflamed in response to the ingestion of a protein known as gluten. Gluten is present in many grains including rye, oats, barley and triticale. Symptoms in infants include diarrhoea, slow growth, bloody stools, weight loss, vomiting and clay-coloured stools. Symptoms in adults include abdominal distention, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, bone pain and bone tenderness. Treatment involves the life-long avoidance of gluten. (10 Jan 1998) |
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| coeliac sprue | <gastroenterology> An inherited disease where the intestinal lining is inflamed in response to the ingestion of a protein known as gluten. Gluten is present in many grains including rye, oats, barley and triticale. Symptoms in infants include diarrhoea, slow growth, bloody stools, weight loss, vomiting and clay-coloured stools. Symptoms in adults include abdominal distention, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, bone pain and bone tenderness. Treatment involves the life-long avoidance of gluten. (10 Jan 1998) |
| sprue | <gastroenterology> An inherited disease where the intestinal lining is inflamed in response to the ingestion of a protein known as gluten. Gluten is present in many grains including rye, oats, barley and triticale. Symptoms in infants include diarrhoea, slow growth, bloody stools, weight loss, vomiting and clay-coloured stools. Symptoms in adults include abdominal distention, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, bone pain and bone tenderness. Treatment involves the life-long avoidance of gluten. (04 Mar 1998) |
| sprue / coeliac disease | <radiology> Gluten enteropathy, coeliac disease (kids), nontropical sprue (adults), hypersensitivity to gluten, treatment: remove gluten from diet, tropical sprue, clinically and radiologically similar to nontropical sprue, treatment: folate, B-12, antibiotics, associated with ** transient intussusception, oesophageal carcinoma and small bowel carcinoma (QUESTIONABLE!!), diffuse intestinal lymphoma (rare; except in Middle East) (12 Dec 1998) |
| sprue-former | The base to which the sprue is attached while the wax pattern is being invested in a refractory investment in a casting flask; it is sometimes referred to as a crucible-former. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sprue, nontropical | This condition results from an immune (allergic) reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat and related grains and present in many foods that we eat. Sprue causes impaired absorption and digestion of nutrients through the small intestine. Symptoms include requent diarrhoea and weight loss. A skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis can be associated with coeliac sprue. The most accurate diagnostic test for sprue is a biopsy of the involved small bowel. Treatment is to avoid gluten in the diet. Medications are used for refractory (stubborn) sprue. Known under a number of other names, including coeliac sprue. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sprue, tropical | A malabsorption syndrome occurring in the tropics and subtropics. Protein malnutrition is usually precipitated by the malabsorption, and anaemia due to folic acid deficiency is particularly common. Administration of antibiotics (especially tetracycline) and folic acid usually results in remission. (12 Dec 1998) |
| nontropical sprue | <infectious disease> An inherited disease where the intestinal lining is inflamed in response to the ingestion of a protein known as gluten. Gluten is present in many grains including rye, oats, barley and triticale. Symptoms in infants include diarrhoea, slow growth, bloody stools, weight loss, vomiting and clay-coloured stools. Symptoms in adults include abdominal distention, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, bone pain and bone tenderness. Treatment involves the life-long avoidance of gluten. (13 Nov 1997) |
| absolute refractory period | The period following excitation when no response is possible regardless of the intensity of the stimulus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anaemia, refractory | Anaemia (a shortage of red blood cells) unresponsive to treatment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anaemia, refractory, with excess of blasts | Chronic refractory anaemia with granulocytopenia, and/or thrombocytopenia. Myeloblasts and progranulocytes constitute 5 to 40 percent of the nucleated marrow cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| refractory | Not readily yielding to treatment. Origin: L. Refractorius (18 Nov 1997) |
| refractory anaemia | <haematology> A form of myelodysplasia which primarily affects the red cell production by the bone marrow. In some cases the developing red cells show an internal ring of iron granules. These cells are called sideroblasts. Refractory anaemia and refractory anaemia with sideroblasts are the most common forms of myelodysplasia. Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (13 Nov 1997) |
| refractory anaemia with excess blasts | <haematology> A form of myelodysplasia characterised by the build up of immature white blood cells (blasts) in the bone marrow. If the immature cells are particularly numerous it may indicate a chance of transformation to acute leukaemia and the condition is called refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEBt). Acronym: RAEB (13 Nov 1997) |
| refractory cast | A cast made of material that will withstand the high temperatures of metal casting or soldering without disintegrating. Synonym: investment cast. (05 Mar 2000) |