| chronic | Persisting over a long period of time. Origin: L. Chronicus, Gr. Chronos = time (18 Nov 1997) |
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| chronic abscess | A long-standing collection of pus surrounded by fibrous tissue. (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) |
| chronic acholuric jaundice | <haematology> A hereditary disorder that leads to a chronic haemolytic anaemia due to an abnormality in the red blood cell membrane. This disorder is caused by a defective gene. Red cells are resistant to stress and rupture easily. Infants may appear jaundiced and pale. Fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath are other symptoms that may be seen in older patients. The spleen may also be enlarged. Treatment includes splenectomy (removal of the spleen). After this is accomplished the life-span of the red blood cells returns to normal. (27 Sep 1997) |
| chronic active hepatitis | <pathology> This is a form of continuing liver inflammation that results in liver cell death. Causes include viral infection (hepatitis D, hepatitis B, hepatitis C), autoimmune disease, drug ingestion or metabolic causes. Chronic active hepatitis will lead to hepatic failure and death in a small percentage of these patients. (27 Sep 1997) |
| chronic active inflammation | The coexistence of chronic inflammation and superimposed acute inflammation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic active liver disease | Any of several types of hepatitis persisting for more than six months, often progressing to cirrhosis. Synonym: chronic active liver disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic adrenocortical insufficiency | Adrenocortical insufficiency usually as the result of idiopathic atrophy or destruction of both adrenal glands by tuberculosis, an autoimmune process, or other diseases; characterised by fatigue, decreased blood pressure, weight loss, increased melanin pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes, anorexia, and nausea or vomiting; without appropriate replacement therapy, it can progress to acute adrenocortical insufficiency. Synonym: Addison's disease, addisonian syndrome, hyposupradrenalism, morbus Addisonii. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic African sleeping sickness | A chronic disease of humans caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in northern and sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Sudan and Uganda; characterised by splenomegaly, drowsiness, an uncontrollable urge to sleep, and the development of psychotic changes; basal ganglia and cerebellar involvement commonly lead to chorea and athetosis; the terminal phase of the disease is characterised by wasting, anorexia, and emaciation that gradually leads to coma and death, usually from intercurrent infection. Synonym: chronic African sleeping sickness, chronic trypanosomiasis, West African sleeping sickness, West African trypanosomiasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic alcoholism | A pathologic condition, affecting chiefly the nervous and gastroenteric systems, associated with impairment in social and occupational functioning, caused by the habitual use of alcoholic beverages in toxic amounts. See: gamma alcoholism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic allograft rejection | Immunologically mediated damage to the allograft, typically a kidney allograft, manifested by diffuse interstitial fibrosis glomerular changes, typically membranous and sclerotic in nature, as well as intimal fibrosis of the blood vessels with tubular atrophy and loss of tubular structures. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic anaphylaxis | A haemorrhagic and necrotizing inflammation developing in the ileum (and also the colon) of sensitised dogs when they are fed a second dose of the sensitizing material. Synonym: chronic anaphylaxis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic anterior poliomyelitis | Muscular atrophy of the upper extremities and neck, in which there are long intermissions of quiescence or improvement; not to be confused with poliomyelitis virus infections. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic appendicitis | Fibrous adhesions, scarring, or deformity of the appendix following subsidence of acute appendicitis; fibrous obliteration of the distal lumen is not abnormal in older persons; term frequently used to refer to repeated mild attacks of acute appendicitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic ataxia | Persistent ataxia, most often caused by hereditary cerebellar or metabolic disorders. (05 Mar 2000) |