| ACI | acceleration index; acoustic comfort index; acute cardiac ischemia; acute coronary infarction; acute... |
|---|---|
| AIE | acute inclusion-body encephalitis; acute infectious encephalitis; acute infective endocarditis |
| AIP | acute idiopathic pericarditis; acute infectious polyneuritis; acute intermittent porphyria; aldoster... |
| ARF | acute renal failure; acute respiratory failure; acute rheumatic fever; Addiction Research Foundation... |
| AAA | abdominal aortic aneurysm/aneurysmectomy; acne-associated arthritis; acquired aplastic anemia; acute... |
| reactive arthritis | Reiter's syndrome is also called reactive arthritis since it is thought to involve the immune system which is reacting to the presence of bacterial infections in the genital, urinary, or gastrointestinal systems. Accordingly, certain people's immune systems are genetically primed to react aberrantly when these areas are exposed to certain bacteria. The aberrant reaction of the immune system leads to inflammation in the joints and eyes. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| gonococcal arthritis | Joint space infection in humans caused by disseminated Neisseria gonorrhoeae; characteristically monarticular, but may be polyarticular. Synonym: gonorrhoeal arthritis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| gonorrhoeal arthritis | Joint space infection in humans caused by disseminated Neisseria gonorrhoeae; characteristically monarticular, but may be polyarticular. Synonym: gonorrhoeal arthritis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| gout arthritis | <rheumatology> Recurrent acute arthritis of peripheral joints caused by the accumulation of monosodium urate crytals. Often presents as pain and swelling confined to one joint. The big toe joint is commonly affected. The arthritis occurs secondary to an inherited abnormality of purine metabolism, resulting in the deposition of uric acid crystals (sodium urate) within the joint space and articular cartilage. Usually due to overproduction of uric acid but may be a result of under excretion. The problems partly arise because neutrophils release lysosomal enzymes as a result of damage to the phagosome membrane by ingested crystals: colchicine acts to reduce the attack by inhibiting lysosome phagosome fusion. (18 Nov 1997) |
| gouty arthritis | An attack that is usually extremely painful of joint inflammation due to deposits of uric acid crystals in the joint fluid (synovial fluid) and joint lining (synovial lining). Intense joint inflammation occurs as white blood cells engulf the uric acid crystals, causing pain, heat, and redness of the joint tissues. The term gout commonly is used to refer to these painful arthritis attacks but gouty arthritis is only one manifeatation of gout. (12 Dec 1998) |
| rheumatoid arthritis | <rheumatology> Chronic inflammatory disease in which there is destruction of joints. Considered by some to be an autoimmune disorder in which immune complexes are formed in joints and excite an inflammatory response (complex mediated hypersensitivity). Cell-mediated (type IV) hypersensitivity also occurs and macrophages accumulate. This in turn leads to the destruction of the synovial lining (see pannus). (18 Nov 1997) |
| rheumatoid arthritis: joint manifestations | <radiology> Early signs: fusiform periarticular soft tissue swelling (result of effusion), regional osteoporosis (disuse and local hyperaemia), widened joint space, marginal and central bone erosion (base of 4th proximal phalanx most common), change in ulnar styloid and distal radioulnar joint, atlantoaxial dislocation, giant synovial cysts late signs: flexion/extension contractures with ulnar subluxation/dislocation, destruction/fusion of joints, elevation of humeral heads (tear/atrophy of rotator cuff), resorption of distal clavicle, erosion of superior margins of posterior portions of 3-5th ribs, destruction/narrowing of disc spaces, destruction of zygapophyseal joints without osteophyte formation, resorption of spinous process, protrusio acetabuli (from osteoporosis) (12 Dec 1998) |
| rheumatoid arthritis, systemic-onset juvenile | Also known as systemic-onset juvenile chronic arthritis. Still's disease presents with systemic (bodywide) illness including high intermittent fever, a salmon-coloured skin rash, swollen lymph glands, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and inflammation of the lungs (pleuritis) and around the heart (pericarditis). The arthritis may not be immediately apparent but it does appear and may persist after the systemic symptoms are gone. (12 Dec 1998) |
| chlamydial arthritis | Serous polyarthritis of cattle and sheep from chlamydial infection. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic absorptive arthritis | Arthritis accompanied by pronounced resorption of bone with shortening and deformity, especially of the hands; when the deformity is extreme, the condition has also been termed arthritis mutilans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chylous arthritis | Arthritis with a high lymph content in synovial fluid, usually due to filariasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mycotic arthritis | <pathology> Infection of a joint space by fungus. Common fungi that can cause mycotic arthritis include coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, cryptococcosis, sporotrichosis and candidiasis. Infection of a joint generally occurs as a result of a primary fungal infection in the lungs. Treatment is with antifungal agents (for example amphotericin B, ketoconazole). (27 Sep 1997) |
| haemophilic arthritis | <orthopaedics, rheumatology> Joint disease resulting from haemophilic bleeding into a joint. (05 Mar 2000) |
| proliferative arthritis | Rarely used term for rheumatoid arthritis, based on the characteristic proliferation of the synovial membrane seen in joints affected by the disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| psoriatic arthritis | <radiology> Types: true psoriatic arthritis (1/3), resembling rheumatoid arthritis (1/3), combination of psoriatic and RA (1/3) findings: no juxta-articular osteoporosis (unlike RA), periosteal reaction frequent, assymetrical destruction of DIP with ankylosis, resorption of terminal tufts with pencil in cup deformity, ivory phalanx, destruction of 1st toe IP joint with periosteal reaction and bony proliferation at distal phalangeal base (pathognomonic), assymetrical syndesmophytes (lower C- to upper lumbar spine), squaring of vertebrae in lumbar spine, paravertebral soft tissue calcifications, bilateral assymetrical sacroiliitis associated with HLA B-27 antigen, negative rheumatoid factor (12 Dec 1998) |