| AAM | acute aseptic meningitis; American Academy of Microbiology; amino acid mixture; African American Mal... |
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| AAMS | acute aseptic meningitis syndrome |
| AAR | active avoidance reaction; acute articular rheumatism; antigen-antiglobulin reaction |
| AASP | acute atrophic spinal paralysis; American Association of Senior Physicians; ascending aorta synchron... |
| AAU | acute anterior uveitis |
| common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia | <haematology, oncology> A sub-type of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia affecting cells early in the B lymphocyte lineage which accounts for about 80% of all acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (13 Nov 1997) |
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| conjunctivitis, acute haemorrhagic | A highly contagious disease characterised by subconjunctival haemorrhage, sudden swelling of the eyelids and congestion, redness, and pain in the eye. Epidemic conjunctivitis caused by enterovirus 70 (ev-70) was first described in africa in 1969. It is caused also by coxsackie virus a24 variant (ca24v). Epidemics by this organism have appeared most frequently in asia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| porphyria, acute intermittent | A form of hepatic porphyria (porphyria, hepatic) characterised by periodic attacks of gastrointestinal disturbances, abdominal colic, paralyses, and psychiatric disorders. The onset of this condition is usually in the third or fourth decade of life. (12 Dec 1998) |
| stricture, oesophagus, acute | A narrowing or closure of the normal opening of the swallowing tube leading to the stomach, usually caused by scarring from acid irritation. Acute, complete obstruction of the oesophagus occurs when food (usually meat) is lodged in the oesophageal stricture. Patients experience chest pain, and are unable to swallow saliva. Attempts to relieve the obstruction by inducing vomiting at home are usually unsuccessful. Patients with complete oesophageal obstruction can breathe, and are not at any risk of suffocation. Endoscopy is usually employed to retrieve the meat and relieve the obstruction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| diverticulitis, treatment of acute | Antibiotics are usually needed. Oral antibiotics are sufficient when symptoms are mild. Liquid or low fibre foods are advised during acute diverticulitis attacks. In severe diverticulitis with high fever and pain, patients are hospitalised and given intravenous antibiotics. Surgery is needed for persistent bowel obstruction or abscesses not responding to antibiotics. (12 Dec 1998) |
| illness, acute | An illness with an abrupt onset and usually a short course. (12 Dec 1998) |
| infantile acute haemorrhagic oedema of the skin | A generally benign form of cutaneous vasculitis, characterised by ecchymotic purpura, often in a cockade pattern, and inflammatory oedema in infants. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intermittent acute porphyria | <gastroenterology, haematology> A group of rare inherited metabolic disorders that result from a disturbance in porphyrin metabolism, causing increased formation and excretion of porphyrin or its precursors. It is caused by hepatic overproduction of d-aminolevulinic acid, which has greatly increased urinary excretion and of porphobilinogen, and some increase of uroporphyrin, due to a deficiency of porphobilinogen deaminase. Clinical features: intermittent acute attacks of hypertension, abdominal colic, psychosis, and polyneuropathy, but with no photosensitivity. It is exacerbated by the ingestion of certain drugs such as; barbiturates). Inheritance: autosomal dominant. (20 Sep 2002) |
| oesophageal stricture, acute | A narrowing or closure of the normal opening of the swallowing tube leading to the stomach, usually caused by scarring from acid irritation. Acute, complete obstruction of the oesophagus occurs when food (usually meat) is lodged in the oesophageal stricture. Patients experience chest pain, and are unable to swallow saliva. Attempts to relieve the obstruction by inducing vomiting at home are usually unsuccessful. Patients with complete oesophageal obstruction can breathe, and are not at any risk of suffocation. Endoscopy is usually employed to retrieve the meat and relieve the obstruction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| encephalomyelitis, acute disseminated | An acute or subacute encephalomyelitis or myelitis characterised by perivascular lymphocyte and mononuclear cell infiltration and demyelination. It occurs most commonly following an acute viral infection, especially measles, but may occur without a recognizable antecedent, and formerly occurred as a complication of rabies and smallpox vaccination. (12 Dec 1998) |
| kidney failure, acute | A clinical syndrome characterised by a sudden decrease in glomerular filtration rate, often to values of less than 1 to 2 ml per minute. It is usually associated with oliguria (urine volumes of less than 400 ml per day) and is always associated with biochemical consequences of the reduction in glomerular filtration rate such as a rise in blood urea nitrogen (bun) and serum creatinine concentrations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| kidney tubular necrosis, acute | Acute kidney failure resulting from destruction of tubular epithelial cells. It is commonly attributed to exposure to toxic agents or renal ischemia following severe trauma. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leukaemia, erythroblastic, acute | A myeloproliferative disorder characterised by neoplastic proliferation of erythroblastic and myeloblastic elements with atypical erythroblasts and myeloblasts in the peripheral blood. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leukaemia, megakaryocytic, acute | Nonlymphocytic leukaemia in which 20-30% of the bone marrow or peripheral blood cells are of megakaryocyte lineage. Myelofibrosis or increased bone marrow reticulin is common. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leukaemia, myelocytic, acute | Progressive, malignant disease of the myeloid tissue in which the granular, polymorphonuclear leukocytes and their precursors predominate. (12 Dec 1998) |