| acute nephritic syndrome | <nephrology, syndrome> A disease of the kidneys that results in inflammation of the glomerulus (the portion of the kidney that filters the blood). Conditions which may cause glomerulonephritis include post-streptococcal disease (strep throat), lupus, syphilis, bacterial endocarditis, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, sepsis, vasculitis, Goodpasture's syndrome, typhoid fever, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, hepatitis or a viral infection (for example mumps, measles, mononucleosis). (15 Jan 1998) |
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| acute organic brain syndrome | <syndrome> A constellation of behavioural or psychological signs and symptoms including problems with attention, concentration, memory, confusion, anxiety, and depression caused by transient or permanent dysfunction of the brain. Synonym: acute organic brain syndrome, OBS, organic mental syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute radiation syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome caused by exposure of the body to large amounts of radiation, (e.g., from certain forms of therapy, accidents, and nuclear explosions; it is divided into three major forms which are, in ascending order of severity, the haematogic, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system-cardiovascular forms; its clinical manifestations are divided into prodromal, latent, overt, and recovery stages. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute urethral syndrome | <syndrome> This describes a clinical syndrome of dysuria (pain on urination) with sterile or low bacterial colony count culture results. Many of these patients have early or low-grade E. Coli, Staphylococcal saprophyticus or Chlamydia trachomatis infections. All are treated with antibiotics. (27 Sep 1997) |
| adams-stokes syndrome | <syndrome> Transient asystole or ventricular fibrillation in the presence of atrioventricular block. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adaptation syndrome of Selye | General non-specific adaptation of the organism in response to specific stimuli which trigger a cycle of extensive physiological changes in the endocrine and other organ systems due to prolonged and intense stress. See: general adaptation syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| addisonian syndrome | 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) |
| adherence syndrome | <syndrome> Restriction action of an ocular muscle owing to adhesions between the muscle and its fascial sheath. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Adie syndrome | <syndrome> A condition manifested by usually one tonic pupil with absent tendon reflexes. An idiopathic postganglionic denervation of the parasympathetically innervated intraocular muscles, usually complicated by signs of aberrant regeneration of these nerves: a weak light reaction with segmental palsy of iris sphincter, a strong slow near response. Deep tendon reflexes, particularly ankle and knee, are often asymmetrically reduced. See: tonic pupil. Synonym: Adie's pupil, Holmes-Adie pupil, Holmes-Adie syndrome, pupillotonic pseudotabes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adiposogenital syndrome | A disorder characterised primarily by obesity and hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism in adolescent boys; dwarfism is rare, and when present is thought to reflect hypothyroidism. Visual loss, behavioural abnormalities, and diabetes insipidus may occur. Frohlich's syndrome often is used synonymously for this disorder, although the original case involved a pituitary tumour; most cases are thought to result from hypothalamic dysfunction in areas regulating appetite and gonadal development. The most common causes are pituitary and hypothalamic neoplasms. Synonym: adiposis orchica, adiposogenital degeneration, adiposogenital dystrophy, adiposogenital syndrome, hypophysial syndrome, hypothalamic obesity with hypogonadism. Origin: L. Fr. G. Dys-, bad, + trophe, nourishment (05 Mar 2000) |
| adrenal cortical syndrome | <syndrome> An inexact (and obsolete) term that has been applied to Cushing's syndrome, Addison's disease, or the adrenogenital syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adrenal virilizing syndrome | Virilism produced by excessive or abnormal secretory patterns of adrenocortical steroids. Synonym: adrenal virilizing syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adrenogenital syndrome | <syndrome> A general term for a group of disorders which involve hyperplasia (or malignant tumours) of the adrenal cortex. Features include masculinisation of women, feminisation of men or precocious sexual development of children. (27 Sep 1997) |
| adult respiratory distress syndrome | <chest medicine, syndrome> A clinical syndrome that includes pulmonary insufficiency. It is a descriptive term that is applied to a variety of diffuse infiltrative processes in the lung. Manifestations include severe shortness of breath, rapid breathing and arterial hypoxaemia (low oxygen). Chest X-ray shows bilateral diffuse infiltrates. Treatment most often includes mechanical respiratory support. Causes include toxic gas (chlorine, NO2, smoke) exposure, severe metabolic derangement, gastric acid aspiration, pancreatitis, sepsis and trauma. Acronym: ARDS (12 Jul 2000) |
| afferent loop syndrome | <syndrome> A complication of gastrojejunostomy, caused by acute or chronic obstruction of the afferent loop due to hernia, intussusception, kinking, volvulus, etc. It is characterised by pain and vomiting of bile-stained fluid and includes acute afferent loop obstruction and bilious vomiting. (12 Dec 1998) |