Associated Disorders

What Is Non-Infectious Blepharitis? Non-infectious blepharitis is an inflammatory condition of the eyelids that is NOT caused by an invading organism but rather nutritional deficiencies. It is characterized by non-ulcerative inflammation of the hair follicles and lacrimal glands along the eyelid edges. Q: ...

What Is Juvenile Autoimmune Thyroid Disease? Juvenile autoimmune thyroid disease is an autoimmune disorder occurring in childhood that targets and damages the thyroid gland, often causing goiter. It is characterized by abnormal circulating thyroid hormone levels in the bloodstream. Recent evidence ...

What Is Dermatitis Herpetiformis In Childhood? Dermatitis herpetiformis in childhood is an inflammatory skin manifestation of celiac disease in which immunoglobulin A (IgA) autoantibodies target components of the skin, leading to blister formation caused by ingestion of gluten in the diet.   Dermatitis ...

What Is Chronic Bullous Dermatosis Of Childhood? Chronic bullous dermatosis of childhood, also termed linear IgA dermatosis, is the most common acquired autoimmune blistering disorder of childhood and is characterized by itchy, urticated papules and plaques as well as polycyclic lesions (merged ...

What Is Juvenile Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus? Juvenile diabetes is type I diabetes mellitus that begins in childhood or before the age of 25 years. It is an inherited inflammatory autoimmune disease of the pancreas in which anti-islet autoantibodies destroy the ...

What Is Glycogenic Acanthosis? Glycogenic acanthosis is a benign thickening of the esophageal squamous epithelium (surface cell lining)  characterized by the presence of numerous, uniformly grey-white plaques made up of large squamous cells filled with glycogen. The wax-like plaques in ...

What Is Spina Bifida? Spina bifida is a congenital defect of neural tube closure and among the commonest and most severe disorders of the fetus and newborn.1 Spina bifida is a defect in the walls of the spinal canal in ...

What Is Cystic Fibrosis? Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease of the exocrine glands which causes the body to produce abnormally thick and sticky mucus and results in progressive damage to the respiratory system and digestive problems. Severity of disease depends ...

What Are Congenital Anomalies? Congenital anomalies are malformations present in the infant at birth. Q: What anomalies are present at birth? A: Some anomalies are inherited while others are caused by a harmful environmental factor during pregnancy such as diet, ...

What Is Down Syndrome? Down Syndrome is a congenital disorder (present at birth) characterized by consequence of having an extra chromosome 21 or 22.  Down syndrome is typically caused by what is called nondisjunction. Q: What is nondisjunction? A: Nondisjunction ...

What Is Impotence? Impotence is an erectile dysfunction disorder in males characterized by the distressing inability to achieve or maintain an erection satisfactory for coitus. What Is Impotence In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Unexplained Adult Male Hypogonadism? Hypogonadism in males is a distressing reproductive disorder characterized by inadequate production of male andogen hormones and/or spermatozoa by the testes. Q: How do andogens affect reproductive health? A: Male androgen hormones control the ...

What Is A Bladder Infection? Bladder infection, or cystitis, is a urinary disorder characterized by pyuria (pus in urine) and dysuria (impaired urination). Cystitis is often simply called a UTI, although UTI (urinary tract infection) can affect any part of the ...

What Are Kidney Stones? Kidney stones, also called renal calculi, are abnormal hard formations in the kidneys that are composed mainly of calcium oxalate, also uric acid, and cystine. Q: How big are kidney stones? A: Stones can vary in ...

What Is IgA Nephropathy? IgA nephropathy, also called Berger’s disease, is a primary renal disease that results when immunoglobulin A (IgA) forms deposits in the glomeruli, where it creates inflammation. IgA nephropathy is characterized by recurrent hematuria (blood in urine), mild proteinuria ...