BODY SYSTEMS AFFECTED

What Is Progressive Myoclonic Ataxia? Progressive myoclonic ataxia is a movement disorder characterized by defective muscular coordination of a muscle group with its origin in the brain. The pathology is in the cerebellum.1 Myoclonus in a context of progressive ataxia ...

What Are Anti-Endomysium Antibodies? Anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA) are connective tissue autoantibodies produced in persons who have inherited the genes for celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, and are reacting to gluten in their diet. Autoantibodies are abnormal in that they attack ...

What Are Anti-Gliadin Antibodies? Anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) are produced by the body as an immune response against partially digested gliadin peptides (fragments) that have abnormally entered the body from the intestinal tract. Gliadin is a protein in wheat grain. Anti-gliadin antibodies circulating ...

What Is Elevated Bone Alkaline Phosphatase? Elevated bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) is a laboratory result that indicates an abnormal blood level of this bone enzyme. A bone alkaline phosphatase blood level is one of the most frequently used biochemical markers of ...

What Are Anti-tissue Transglutaminase Antibodies? Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) are connective tissue autoantibodies and can be detected in blood samples from affected persons who are reacting to gluten in the diet. Autoantibodies are abnormal because they attack the body’s own ...

What Is Angina Pectoris? Angina pectoris, or simply angina, is a coronary syndrome characterized by an oppressive substernal pain (pain under breastbone) or pressure brought on by exertion and relieved by rest that results from failure of coronary arteries to ...

What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia? Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is a megaloblastic anemia that is characterized by defective DNA synthesis of red blood cells due to a lack of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential for normal blood cell formation. ...

What Is Secondary Hyperparathyroidism? Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a parathyroid disorder resulting from hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) that is characterized by excessive production of parathyroid hormone in the attempt to normalize the low blood calcium by releasing calcium from bone. ...

What Is Hypokalemia? Hypokalemia means the level of potassium in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral and is characterized by metabolic acidosis, altered nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Rapid potassium loss can ...

What Is Delayed Puberty in Boys? Delayed puberty in boys is characterized by lack of growth and functional activity of the male gonads, called testes or testicals, to produce testosterone by age 14 and failure to grow pubic hair by age 15. ...

What Is Recurrent Monoarthritis? Recurrent monoarthritis is a joint disorder characterized by pain and inflammation involving just one peripheral joint (elbow, hand, knee, ankle, foot, or hip). What Is Recurrent Monoarthritis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Increased Pulmonary Permeability? Increased pulmonary permeability is a mucosal defect in the lung characterized by alteration of the normally tight epithelial  blood-air barrier in the lung apparently caused by inflammation. Q: What is the blood-air barrier in the ...

What Are Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes? Autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are rare clusterings of two or more endocrine and non-endocrine autoimmune disorders in the same affected person. Polyglandular is somewhat of a misnomer since many of the manifestations of the diseases ...

What Is Antiphospholipid Syndrome? Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease and a blood clotting disorder characterized by these clinical and laboratory criteria: Clinical criteria – recurrent vascular thrombosis (clots in veins/arteries) from hypercoagulability (abnormal excessive clotting) and/or recurrent complications of ...

What Is Plummer-Vinson Syndrome Affecting the Esophagus? Plummer-Vinson syndrome is a manifestation of severe, long-term, iron deficiency anemia that is characterized by post-cricoid esophageal webs and dysphagia. Q: What are esophageal webs? A: Esophageal webs are one or more thin ...