| chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | <disease> A progressive disease process that most commonly results from smoking. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterised by difficulty breathing, wheezing and a chronic cough. Treatment includes absolute avoidance from smoking, bronchodilators and oxygen for those with advanced disease. Complications include bronchitis, pneumonia and lung cancer. See: emphysema. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| chronic pancreatitis | Inflammatory disease of the pancreas characterised by fibrosis and irreversible loss of exocrine function. Chronic fibrosing pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas consisting of fibrosis, acinar atrophy, and calcification. Clinically, it follows a protracted course with relapses and remissions, and is usually due to alcohol abuse or malnutrition. Chronic relapsing pancreatitis, repeated exacerbations of pancreatitis in patient with chronic inflammation of that organ. Relapses are usually due to persistence of aetiologic factor or repeated exposure to it, such as occurs with partial ductal obstruction or chronic alcoholism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic pancreatitis: surgical treatment | <radiology> ERCP findings Surgical procedure, dilated proximal duct sphincterotomy, dilated distal duct distal pancreatectomy, with or without retrograde jejunal drainage, diffuse ductal dilatation Peustow procedure, (chain-of-lakes), sclerosed duct Child procedure (subtotal panc-x) (12 Dec 1998) |
| chronic persistent hepatitis | <pathology> A form of hepatitis usually caused by hepatitis C or B, that consists of mild persistent liver inflammation. Often a mild elevation of the liver enzymes will be seen on liver profile or SMAC 25 assay. Liver biopsy indicates persistent hepatitis. Incidence: 1 in 1,000. (02 Jan 1998) |
| chronic persisting hepatitis | A form of chronic hepatitis that is usually benign, not progressing to cirrhosis, and usually asymptomatic without physical findings but with continuing abnormalities of tests of liver status. Synonym: chronic persistent hepatitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic phase | Refers to the early stages of chronic myelogenous leukaemia. The number of immature, abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow and blood is higher than normal, but lower than in the accelerated or blast phase. (12 Dec 1998) |
| chronic pleurisy | Vague or indefinite term for long-standing inflammation of the pleura of any aetiology (e.g., tuberculosis). (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic pneumonia | Vague or indefinite term for long-standing inflammation of pulmonary tissue of any aetiology. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic progressive chorea | A progressive disorder usually beginning in young to middle age, consisting of a triad of choreoathetosis, dementia, and autosomal dominant inheritance with complete penetrance. Bilateral marked wasting of the putamen and the head of the caudate nucleus is characteristic. Synonym: chronic progressive chorea, degenerative chorea, hereditary chorea, Huntington's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia | 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) |
| chronic progressive syphilitic meningoencephalitis | Syphilitic infection manifested as dementia (often with delusional features), dysarthria, seizures, myoclonic jerks, action tremor, impaired walking and standing, pupillary abnormalities, and abnormal CSF findings. Synonym: chronic progressive syphilitic meningoencephalitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic pyelonephritis | Chronic inflammation of the renal parenchyma and pelvis resulting from bacterial infection, characterised by calyceal deformities and overlying large flat renal scars with patchy distribution. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic rejection | A transplant rejection occurring after a few or many months, mainly from persisting serum antibody action. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic renal failure | <nephrology> Chronic renal failure represents a slow decline in kidney function over time. Chronic renal failure may be caused by a number of disorders which include long-standing hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, lupus or sickle cell anaemia. If renal function declines to a low enough level (end-stage renal disease) kidney dialysis may be necessary. A sudden decline in renal function may be triggered by a number of acute disease processes. Examples include sepsis (infection), shock, trauma, kidney stones, kidney infection, drug toxicity (aspirin or lithium), poisons or toxins (drug abuse) or after injection with an iodinated contrast dye (adverse effect). Both forms of renal failure result in a life-threatening metabolic derangement. (27 Sep 1997) |
| chronic respiratory disease | A common and serious disease of the respiratory tract of chickens caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma gallinarum; secondary infection with Escherichia coli is common. (05 Mar 2000) |