| acute confusional state | <psychiatry> A condition of severe confusion or rapid change in brain function. This often occurs as the result of a mental illness or physical illness. Symptoms include lethargy, agitation, confusion, disorientation and delirium. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| acute crescentic glomerulonephritis | <nephrology> A relatively uncommon (affecting 1 out of 10,000 people) form of acute glomerulonephritis that results in damage within the glomerulus of the kidney. There is rapid loss of kidney function with the formation of crescents on microscopic analysis (kidney biopsy). This disorder may result in acute glomerulonephritis or nephrotic syndrome, but ultimately results in renal failure and end-stage renal disease. Symptoms include smoky coloured urine (pyuria), decreased urine output, swelling and hypertension. Any conditions which can cause a vasculitis increase the risk of this disorder. Some examples include lupus, Goodpasture's syndrome, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, IgA nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody disease, history for malignant tumours and exposure to hydrocarbon solvents. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute cutaneous leishmaniasis | A form of cutaneous leishmaniasis characterised by rural distribution of human cases near infected rodents, particularly communal ground squirrels; characterised by acute rapidly developing dermal lesions that become severely inflamed, with moist necrotizing sores or ulcers that heal in two to eight months after a two to four month incubation period; among nonimmune immigrants, multiple lesions may develop, which heal more slowly and leave disabling or disfiguring scars. A strong delayed hypersensitivity and involvement of immune complexes play a role in necrosis, which is part of the healing process and of the strong specific immunity that follows. Synonym: acute cutaneous leishmaniasis, rural cutaneous leishmaniasis, wet cutaneous leishmaniasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute decubitus ulcer | A severe form of bedsore, of neutrophic origin, occurring in hemiplegia or paraplegia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute delirium | Delirium of recent, rapid onset. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute demyelinating polyneuropathy | <neurology> A neurologic condition. Synonym: Guillain-Barre syndrome. Origin: Gr. Pathos = disease (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute disease | Disease having a short and relatively severe course. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute disseminated encephalomyelitis | <radiology> Immune-mediated encephalitis (IME), ADE, allergic treatmentn to prior infection, begins 1-2 weeks after event, occus after viral infection or vaccination, affects corpus callosum and white matter (above and below tent), self-limited; steroids may help See also: white-matter disease, demyelinating disease (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute disseminated myositis | The occurrence of multiple foci of acute inflammation in the muscular tissue and overlying skin in various parts of the body, accompanied by fever and other signs of systemic infection. See: dermatomyositis. Synonym: acute disseminated myositis, pseudotrichinosis, pseudotrichiniasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute epidemic leukoencephalitis | A disease characterised by acute onset of fever, followed by convulsions, delirium, and coma, and associated with perivascular demyelination and haemorrhagic foci in the central nervous system. Synonym: acute primary haemorrhagic meningoencephalitis, Strumpell's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute extrinsic allergic alveolitis | <radiology> No chest X-ray findings in 30-95%, diffuse acinar consolidative pattern (oedema and exudative filling of alveoli), basilar distribution, lymph node enlargement (unusual, more common with recurrence) see: extrinsic allergic alveolitis (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute febrile illness | An illness of sudden onset that manifests with fever. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis | A rare dermatosis, predominant in women, of rapid onset and characterised by plaque-like lesions, usually multiple, on the face, neck, and upper extremities, accompanied by conjunctivitis, mucosal lesions, fever, malaise, arthralgia, and peripheral blood neutrophilia in many cases; biopsy reveals polymorphonuclear infiltrate of the dermis; rapid remission occurs with systemic steroid therapy. Synonym: Sweet's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute fibrinous pericarditis | The usual lesion of acute pericarditis in which inflammation produces large quantities of fibrin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute fulminating meningococcaemia | Rapidly moving systemic infection with Neisseria meningitidis, usually without meningitis, characterised by rash, usually petechial or purpuric, high fever, and hypotension. May lead to death within hours. (05 Mar 2000) |