| chronic illness | An illness that has persisted for a long period of time. It is a continuing disease process. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| chronic inflammation | An inflammation that may begin with a relatively rapid onset or in a slow, insidious, and even unnoticed manner, tends to persist for several weeks, months, or years and has a vague and indefinite termination; results when the injuring agent (or products resulting from its presence) persists in the lesion, and the host's tissues respond in a manner (or to a degree) that is not sufficient to overcome completely the continuing effects of the injuring agent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy | An uncommon, acquired, demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy, clinically characterised by insidious onset, and slow evolution, (either steady progression or stepwise), and chronic course; symmetrical weakness is a predominant symptom, often involving proximal leg muscles, accompanied by paresthesias, but not pain; CSF examination shows elevated protein, while electrodiagnostic studies reveal evidence of a demyelinating process, primarily conduction slowing rather than block; sometimes responds to prednisone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy | <neurology, pathology> A disorder that involves the slow progressive (or recurrent) inflammation of multiple nerves. Loss of movement and sensation are common findings. The exact cause is related to an abnormal immune response. The acute form of this illness is known as Guillain-Barre syndrome. Treatment often includes systemic corticosteroids or chemotherapeutic agents to suppress the immune system. Prognosis is variable. Origin: Gr. Pathos = disease (27 Sep 1997) |
| chronic interstitial hepatitis | An obsolete term for cirrhosis of the liver. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic interstitial hypertrophic neuropathy | dejerine-Sottas disease |
| chronic interstitial salpingitis | Salpingitis in which fibrosis or mononuclear cell infiltration involves all layers of the fallopian or eustachian tube. Synonym: pachysalpingitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic kidney failure | 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 leukaemia | A persistent cancer of the blood, usually of gradual onset and generally of slow progression. May be diagnosed by chance following a routine blood test and prior to the appearance of clinical symptoms. Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (13 Nov 1997) |
| chronic lymphadenoid thyroiditis | <endocrinology> Inflammation of the thyroid gland without the formation of pus. Noninfectious nonbacterial thyroid inflammation. (27 Sep 1997) |
| chronic lymphocytic leukaemia | <haematology> A slowly progressing form of leukaemia, characterised by an increased number of the type of white blood cell known as lymphocytes. With about 3, 500 new cases occurring each year in the UK, it is the most common form of leukaemia and occurs predominantly in late middle age onwards. It has variable symptoms and course, but may be diagnosed by chance before the patient develops any clinical symptoms of disease. Acronym: CLL Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (12 Jan 1998) |
| chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis | <endocrinology> Inflammation of the thyroid gland without the formation of pus. Noninfectious nonbacterial thyroid inflammation. (27 Sep 1997) |
| chronic malaria | Malaria that develops after frequently repeated attacks of one of the acute forms, usually falciparum malaria; it is characterised by profound anaemia, enlargement of the spleen, emaciation, mental depression, sallow complexion, oedema of ankles, feeble digestion, and muscular weakness. Synonym: limnaemia, malarial cachexia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic mountain sickness | Loss of high altitude tolerance after prolonged exposure (e.g., by residence), characterised by extreme polycythemia, exaggerated hypoxaemia, and reduced mental and physical capacity; relieved by descent. Synonym: altitude erythraemia, chronic soroche, Monge's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chronic myeloid leukaemia | <haematology> A leukaemia which is initially slowly-progressing. There are approximately 650 new cases each year in the UK. It is characterised by the presence of large numbers of abnormal mature granulocytes, circulating in the blood. Synonym: chronic granulocytic leukaemia. Acronym: CML Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (12 Jan 1998) |