Glossary

This glossary is intended to offer a list of terms that physicians in the area of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome work with on a regular basis.

anti-insulin auto-antibodies - (noun) the body's response to rejecting insulin.

anti-islet cell antibodies - (noun) the body's response in attacking the islet cells

anuric (oligoanuric) - (adjective) the state of producing no urine; anuria - (noun) no urine.

arrhythmia - (noun) abnormal heart rhythm. The result of abnormal electrical activity or electrical conduction in the heart. May be too fast, too slow or irregular.

biliary - (adjective) having to do with the liver or bile ducts.

biliary lithiasis: (noun) formation of gall stones.

bradycardia - (noun) heart beat too slow.

cardiomyopathy - (noun) disease of heart muscle.

cholelithiasis - (noun) formation of gallstones.

coagulopathy - (verb) alteration of the mechanism that leads to normal clotting of the blood; may result in too much or too little clotting

colitis -(noun) inflammation of the colon; the usual symptoms are diarrhea, sometimes with blood and mucus, and lower abdominal pain.

compartment syndrome - (noun) swelling of muscles of the limbs where they are enclosed in strong fibrous sheaths. The initial swelling may be the result of reduction of the blood supply or injury, but as the swelling increases it leads to more pressure on the muscle and further reduction of the blood supply (ischæmia). If not urgently treated may result in death (infarction) of entire muscle groups.

creatinine - (noun) blood waste product found in the bloodstream which is excreted in urine.

cryosupernatant plasma - (noun)

cytokines - (noun) mediators used in cell-to-cell communications, essential for the regulation of the immune system, which cause certain actions like activation or proliferation when meeting receptors on leukocytes ( white blood cells).

cytotoxicity - (noun) cell killing feature

dietary sugar intolerances: (noun) inability to digest sugars taken by mouth. Not to be confused with glucose intolerance, an abnormality seen in diabetes.

echogenicity - (noun) an ultrasound picture has more "echotexture" than is normal for that organ and indicates some, nonspecific, abnormality. In practical terms, with the kidney it can be a sign of inflammation, scars, kidney stones, or any of a number of other abnormal things going on in the kidney. It must also be put together with other information (i.e. lab tests, physical exam and history) to interpret more precisely.

EHEC (enterohemmorhagic E. coli) - (noun) E coli which cause gastrointestinal bleeding most often by producing a blood poison (verotoxin).

encephalitis - (noun) inflammation of the brain.

endothelium - (noun) the layer of specialized cell lining the heart, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.

epithelial cells - (noun) cells which border tissues exposed to the environment such as the intestinal tract

femoral vessels - the large arteries and veins in the groins.

fibrin - (noun) the final product of the process of coagulation; a fibrin links of with similar molecules to make a fibrous meshwork that forms the basis of a bloodclot.

fructose - (noun) fruit sugar.

fulminant presentation - sudden, severe onset of symptoms.

globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) - (noun) the compound of high energy value that forms a receptor for E. coli's blood toxin on a cell.

glomeruli - (noun) a network of blood capillaries contained within the end of a nephron, the site of primary filtration of blood waste products. glomerular filtration - (noun) the action provided by the glomeruli

GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) - the rate at which substances are filtered from the blood of the glomeruli into the nephrons; It is calculated by measuring the clearance of specific substances, including creatinine and is an indicator of kidney function.

heart failure - (noun) the inability of the heart to perform all the work needed for normal circulation.

hematuria - (noun) blood in the urine.

hemostasis - (noun) control of bleeding, caused by two, integrated processes, the formation of the platelet plug and the formation of the blood clot

heparin - (noun) a naturally occurring substance which is a powerful short acting anticoagulant (prevents blood clotting); is essential for the performance of open heart surgery.

hypertension - (noun) high blood pressure; hypertension is symptomless until the symptoms of its complications, such as strokes, heart failure or kidney failure, develop.

hypoxia - (noun) deficiency of oxygen

infarction - (noun) death of some tissue, most often the result of inadequate blood supply caused by a bloodclot.

insulin - (noun) a protein hormone produced in the pancreas by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, that is important for regulating the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

irritable bowel syndrome: (noun) spastic colon, causing pain. Not to be confused with inflammatory bowel disease, like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's Disease.

ischemia - (noun) inadequate blood supply caused by constriction or blockage of blood vessels supplying it.

lactose: (noun) milk sugar.

lysis - (noun) destruction of cells by damage or rupture of the cell membrane.

microangiopathy - (noun) damage to the walls of the smallest blood vessels.

motility - (noun) movement, as in the movement of food or waste through the gastrointestinal tract.

myocarditis - (noun) inflammation of heart muscle caused by infection or toxin.

myocardium - (noun) heart muscle.

necrosis - (noun) death of tissue/cells, caused by disease, injury or interference of blood supply.

pancreas - (noun) a gland that lies behind the stomach. It secretes pancreatic juices that aid in digestion. It also secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream.

Pk antigen - a blood group antigen the body identifies as foreign =Gb3=CD77

platelets (thrombocytes) - the tiny blood cells that are concerned initiate blood clotting. They are the second most abundant of the blood cells and have a very short life.

platelet microthrombi - (noun) tiny blood clots

proteinuria - (noun) the presence of protein in the urine; may indicate damage to or disease of kidneys.

sequelae - (noun) consequences, symptoms

stricture: (noun) narrowing of a tubular stricture

tachycardia - (noun) heart beat too fast.

thrombocytopenia - (noun) reduction of the number of platelets in the blood.

thrombosis (thrombi, microthrombi) - (noun) blood clot(s)

vasculitis - (noun) inflammation of blood vessels.

verotoxin - (noun) a poisonous molecule that damages or attacks the blood.

von Willebrand factor (vWF) - (noun) a protein, made in endothelial cells, which causes the platelets to bind to the damaged blood vessel wall (platelet adhesion).

VTEC (Verotoxin producing E. coli) - (noun) E. coli that put a poison into the bloodstream and thereby injure blood.