Medical Terminology
Below you will find an alphabetical list of terms you should become familiar with as a lupus patient. Some terms are specific to lupus nephritis patients.
Adnexal Mass: A lump in tissue near the uterus, usually in the ovary or fallopian tube. Adnexal masses include ovarian cysts, ectopic (tubal) pregnancies, and benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer) tumors.
Albumin: the most common protein found in the blood. It is used by the body for growth and tissue repair. It helps keep fluid in your bloodstream so it doesn't leak into other tissues. It also carries various substances throughout your body, including hormones, vitamins, and enzymes. Low albumin levels can indicate a problem with your liver or kidneys.
Analgesic: A drug that reduces pain. Analgesics include aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen.
Anemia: a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues. Having anemia can make you feel tired and weak.
Antibodies: a protein produced by the body's immune system when it detects harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses) and chemicals. Antibodies may be produced when the immune system mistakenly considers healthy tissue a harmful substance. This is called an autoimmune disorder.
Antigen: any substance that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against it. This means your immune system does not recognize the substance, and is trying to fight it off. An antigen may be a substance from the environment, such as chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or pollen. An antigen may also form inside the body.
Anti-inflammatory: reduction of inflammation. An anti-inflammatory agent is a drug or substance that reduces inflammation (redness, swelling, and pain) in the body. Anti-inflammatory agents block certain substances in the body that cause inflammation. They are used to treat many different conditions.
Anti-malarial: a drug directed against malaria. Drugs such as Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), Chloroquine (Aralen), and Quinacrine (Atabrine) are all anti-malarials and are used to treat lupus. Specifically, anti-malarial medications have shown to improve muscle and joint pain, skin rashes, pericarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), pleuritis (inflammation of the lining of the lung), and other lupus symptoms such as fatigue and fever. These medications may also prevent lupus from spreading to certain organs, such as the kidney and central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord) and may help to reduce flares by as much as 50%. Plaquenil and other anti-malarials are the key to controlling lupus long term, and some lupus patients may be on Plaquenil for the rest of their lives.
Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA): are possible signs of autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, scleroderma, Sjögren’s syndrome, juvenile arthritis, or polymyositis and dermatomyositis. White blood cells in the body’s immune system make antibodies to spot and attack foreign agents that cause infections or disease. Sometimes, antibodies target normal proteins in our body by mistake. This can trigger inflammation that leads to joint or tissue damage. These antibodies are called autoantibodies. Everyone has small amounts of autoantibodies. ANAs are one type of autoantibody. A positive ANA blood test means autoantibodies are present, but it’s not a sure sign of an autoimmune disease.
Antiphospholipid Antibodies Syndrome (APS): is an autoimmune disease mostly affecting young women. People with APS make abnormal proteins in their blood called antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). In APS, these proteins can cause formation of clots in veins and arteries. Clots may cause may cause miscarriage, harm a fetus, or lead to heart attacks, strokes or pulmonary embolism. In severe cases, multiple organs may be damaged. APS affects women five times more often than men, and is typically diagnosed between ages 30 and 40. About 40% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients also test positive for antiphospholipid antibodies, but only half develop clots.
Anxiety: Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).
These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time. You may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood.
Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias and separation anxiety disorder. You can have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes anxiety results from a medical condition that needs treatment. Whatever form of anxiety you have, treatment can help.
Arterioles: a small branch of an artery leading into capillaries.
Arthralgia: pain in the joint.
Arthritis: inflammation or degeneration of one or more joints
Auto-antibody: directly destroy cells that have the substances on them or can make it easier for other white blood cells to destroy them. Some autoimmune diseases are caused by autoantibodies.
Autoimmunity: the presence of antibodies (which are made by B lymphocytes) and T lymphocytes directed against normal components of a person (autoantigens). These components are called autoantigens or self-antigens and typically consist of proteins (or proteins complexed to nucleic acids). The antibodies and T lymphocytes that recognize autoantigens are called "autoantibodies" and "autoreactive T cells".
B Cell: A type of white blood cell that makes antibodies. B cells are part of the immune system and develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. Also called B lymphocyte.
Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other tests on the cells or tissue.
Blood Clot: clumps that occur when blood hardens from a liquid to a solid
Blood Transfusion: A procedure in which whole blood or parts of blood are put into a patient’s bloodstream through a vein. The blood may be donated by another person or it may have been taken from the patient and stored until needed. Also called transfusion.
BUN Test: (blood urea nitrogen) measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. Levels of urea nitrogen is one marker on how well your kidneys are working.
Butterfly Rash (Malar Rash): An erythematous (red), flat facial rash that affects the skin in the malar area (over the cheekbones) and extends over the bridge of the nose (Butterfly-shaped rash).
Calciphylaxis: a serious, uncommon disease in which calcium accumulates in small blood vessels of the fat and skin tissues. It causes blood clots, painful skin ulcers and may cause serious infections that can lead to death. People who have calciphylaxis usually have kidney failure and are on dialysis or have had a kidney transplant. The condition can also occur in people without kidney disease.
Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored
Chronic Kidney Disease: (aka chronic kidney failure) describes the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in your urine. When chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes can build up in your body. Chronic kidney disease may not become apparent until your kidney function is significantly impaired.
Chronic Pain Syndrome: is defined in various ways, but based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, pain that lasts more than 3 months or past the time of normal tissue healing is defined as chronic pain. It may occur along with conditions that involve long-term pain, including certain cancers, stroke, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Experts don't yet understand how or even if these conditions are related.
Cinacalcet: (aka Sensipar) a drug that decreases levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, and phosphorous in the body. Cinacalcet is used to treat hyperparathyroidism (overactive functioning of the parathyroid glands) in people who are on long-term dialysis for kidney disease
Complement: a blood test that measures the activity of certain proteins in the liquid portion of your blood
Complete Blood Count (CBC): a blood test used to evaluate your overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia
Connective Tissue: Tissue that supports, protects, and gives structure to other tissues and organs in the body. Connective tissue also stores fat, helps move nutrients and other substances between tissues and organs, and helps repair damaged tissue. Connective tissue is made up of cells, fibers, and a gel-like substance. Types of connective tissue include bone, cartilage, fat, blood, and lymphatic tissue.
Cortisone: a powerful anti-inflammatory corticosteroid drug commonly injected into inflamed tissue in joints for pain relief
Creatinine: a waste product that comes from the normal wear and tear on muscles of the body. Everyone has creatinine in their bloodstream.
Cutaneous Lesions: a part of the skin that has an abnormal growth or appearance compared to the skin around it.
Cyclophosphamide: (aka Cytoxan) A drug used to treat many types of cancer. It is also used to treat a certain type of kidney disease in children. Also called CTX.
Debridement: To remove dead, contaminated, or adherent tissue and/or foreign material. To debride a wound is to remove all materials that may promote infection and impede healing.
Depression: (aka major depressive disorder or clinical depression) a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.
Disorder of Central Nervous System: The nervous system is vulnerable to various disorders. It can be damaged by the following: Trauma, Infections, Degeneration, Structural defects, Tumors, Blood flow disruption, and Autoimmune disorders. The Central Nervous System consists of the brain and the spina cord.
Elevated White Blood Cell Count: usually indicates…
An increased production of white blood cells to fight an infection.
A reaction to a drug that increases white blood cell production.
A disease of bone marrow, causing abnormally high production of white blood cells.
An immune system disorder that increases white blood cell production.
End-Stage Kidney Failure: occurs when chronic kidney disease — the gradual loss of kidney function — reaches an advanced state. In end-stage renal disease, your kidneys are no longer able to work as they should to meet your body's needs.
Fibromyalgia: a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.
Glomerulonephritis: acute inflammation of the kidney, typically caused by an immune response.
Hemodialysis: (aka Dialysis) a treatment to filter wastes and water from your blood, as your kidneys did when they were healthy. Hemodialysis helps control blood pressure and balance important minerals, such as potassium, sodium, and calcium, in your blood.
Hemolytic Anemia: a disorder in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be made.
High Blood Pressure: a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease.
HSIL (High Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion) on Pap Smear of Cervix: An area of abnormal cells that forms on the surface of certain organs, such as the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, and esophagus
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room or tube. It is a well-established treatment for decompression sickness, a hazard of scuba diving. Other conditions treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy include serious infections, bubbles of air in your blood vessels, and wounds that won't heal as a result of diabetes or radiation injury.
Hypertension: when your blood pressure, the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels, is consistently too high
Imaging Studies: A type of test that makes detailed pictures of areas inside the body. Imaging tests use different forms of energy, such as x-rays (high-energy radiation), ultrasound (high-energy sound waves), radio waves, and radioactive substances. They may be used to help diagnose disease, plan treatment, or find out how well treatment is working.
Immunosuppresive drug: a drug that suppresses the immune response of an individual.
Inflammation: a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
Kidney Transplant Rejection: the result of a gradual decrease in the kidney function that starts to become evident three months after the transplantation surgery.
Lupus: (aka Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead.
Medical Marijuana: derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. It may be used to: ease pain (includes different types of chronic pain, including pain from nerve damage), control nausea and vomiting (most common use is for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy for cancer), and increase appetite (helps people who do not eat enough and lose weight due to other illnesses). You can only get medical marijuana if you have certain conditions. The conditions marijuana can treat varies from state to state. The most common ones include: Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Seizures and epilepsy, Glaucoma, Severe chronic pain, Severe nausea, Extreme weight loss and weakness (wasting syndrome), Severe muscle spasms, and Multiple sclerosis.
Mixed Hyperlipidemia: (aka familial combined hyperlipidemia) a genetic disorder passed down through family members. If you have this disease, it means you have higher-than-normal levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and other lipids in your blood. The disorder contributes to heart disease and early heart attacks.
Nephritis: inflammation of the kidneys
Nephrologist: a type of doctor that specializes in treating diseases of the kidney.
NSAID (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): members of a drug class that reduces pain, decreases fever, prevents blood clots, and in higher doses, decreases inflammation.
Occupational Therapy: a form of therapy for those recuperating from physical or mental illness that encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life.
Parathyroid Hormone Excess: (aka hyperparathyroidism) when your parathyroid glands create too much parathyroid hormone in the bloodstream. The parathyroid hormone helps maintain an appropriate balance of calcium in the bloodstream and in tissues that depend on calcium for proper functioning. These glands, located behind the thyroid at the bottom of your neck, are about the size of a grain of rice.
Parathyroidectomy: (aka Parathyroid Gland Removal) surgery to remove the parathyroid glands or parathyroid tumors
Pericardial Effusion: the buildup of excess fluid in the sac-like structure around the heart (pericardium).
Pericarditis: inflammation of the pericardium, two thin layers of a sac-like tissue that surround the heart, hold it in place and help it work
Peritoneal Dialysis: (aka PD) a way to remove waste products from your blood when your kidneys can't adequately do the job any longer. This procedure filters the blood in a different way than does the more common blood-filtering procedure called hemodialysis.
Phosphorus: An essential element in the diet and a major component of bone
Photosensitivity: A condition in which the skin becomes very sensitive to sunlight or other forms of ultraviolet light and may burn easily. Photosensitivity usually causes a rash or sunburn, especially on areas of the skin that are exposed to ultraviolet light. The affected areas may be painful and may itch, blister, or peel. Photosensitivity may be caused by certain medicines, such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs, radiation therapy, exposure to certain chemicals, and some medical conditions, such as lupus.
Physical Therapy: A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities
Platelet: A tiny, disc-shaped piece of cell that is found in the blood and spleen. Platelets are pieces of very large cells in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes. They help form blood clots to slow or stop bleeding and to help wounds heal. Having too many or too few platelets or having platelets that don’t work as they should can cause problems. Checking the number of platelets in the blood may help diagnose certain diseases or conditions. Also called thrombocyte.
Pleural Effusion: a buildup of fluid between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity
Pleuritis: Inflammation of the pleura which may be caused by infection, injury or tumor. When the pleura becomes inflamed, it can produce more than the normal amount of fluid, causing a pleural effusion.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES): a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by a headache, seizures, altered mental status and visual loss and characterized by white matter vasogenic edema affecting the posterior occipital and parietal lobes of the brain predominantly.
Potassium: a mineral that your body needs to work properly. It is a type of electrolyte. It helps your nerves to function and muscles to contract. It helps your heartbeat stay regular. It also helps move nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells. A diet rich in potassium helps to offset some of sodium's harmful effects on blood pressure.
Prednisone: a Corticosteroid (also known as glucocorticoid, cortisone or steroid). Works quickly to decrease the swelling, warmth, tenderness and pain that are related to inflammation. They do this by lessening the immune system’s response. Most commonly prescribed steroid for lupus. Prednisolone and methylprednisolone (Medrol®) are similar to prednisone. Some physicians prefer to prescribe these if you have liver problems.
Proteinuria: excess protein found in a urine sample
Psychosis: severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. People with psychoses lose touch with reality. Two of the main symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are false beliefs, such as thinking that someone is plotting against you or that the TV is sending you secret messages. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is not there.
Raynaud’s Phenomenon: a disease that causes some areas of your body — such as your fingers and toes — to feel numb and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress. Smaller arteries that supply blood to your skin narrow, limiting blood circulation to affected areas (vasospasm)
Remission: the reduction or disappearance of the signs and symptoms of a disease.
Rheumatologist: an internist or pediatrician who received further training in the diagnosis (detection) and treatment of musculoskeletal disease and systemic autoimmune conditions commonly referred to as rheumatic diseases.
Sacral ulcer, limited to breakdown of skin: (aka decubitus ulcers or pressure ulcers) wounds that form as a direct result of pressure over a bony prominence. Specific risk factors for sacral pressure ulcers include lying in the supine position and fecal incontinence.
Sedimentation Rate: a blood test that can reveal inflammatory activity in your body. A sed rate test isn't a stand-alone diagnostic tool, but it can help your doctor diagnose or monitor the progress of an inflammatory disease.
Seizure: the physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain
Sinus Tachycardia: a regular cardiac rhythm in which the heart beats faster than normal and results in an increase in cardiac output. While it is common to have sinus tachycardia as a compensatory response to exercise or stress, it becomes concerning when it occurs at rest.
Sjorgen’s Syndrome: a disorder of your immune system identified by its two most common symptoms — dry eyes and a dry mouth
Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body
Sodium Thiosulfate (STS): used as a medication to treat cyanide poisoning, pityriasis versicolor, and to decrease side effects from cisplatin. There is evidence supporting the use of sodium thiosulfate to counteract calciphylaxis, the calcification of blood vessels that may occur in hemodialysis patients with end-stage kidney disease.
Standard of Care: Treatment that is accepted by medical experts as a proper treatment for a certain type of disease and that is widely used by healthcare professionals. Also called best practice, standard medical care, and standard therapy.
Systemic: A systemic drug, disease, or poison reaches and has an effect on the whole of a body or a plant and not just one part of it.
T Cell: A type of white blood cell. T cells are part of the immune system and develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. They help protect the body from infection and may help fight cancer. Also called T lymphocyte and thymocyte.
Thrombocytopenia: a condition in which you have a low blood platelet count. Platelets (thrombocytes) are colorless blood cells that help blood clot. Platelets stop bleeding by clumping and forming plugs in blood vessel injuries.
Tolerance: A condition that occurs when the body gets used to a medicine so that either more medicine is needed or different medicine is needed.
Tolerogenic: capable of producing immunological tolerance
Ulcers of Both Lower Legs, Limited to breakdown of skin: classify pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores, pressure sores or decubitus ulcers. Pressure ulcers are wounds caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin. These ulcers are localized injuries affecting skin and underlying tissues, representing trauma associated with pressure and also friction, immobility, poor nutrition, hard surfaces and existing scars.
Uremia: accumulation in the blood of constituents normally eliminated in the urine that produces a severe toxic condition and usually occurs in severe kidney disease
Urinalysis: a test of your urine. It is used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease and diabetes.
Vasculitis: inflammation of your blood vessels. It causes changes in the blood vessel walls, including thickening, weakening, narrowing or scarring. These changes can restrict blood flow, resulting in organ and tissue damage.
White Blood Cell: A type of blood cell that is made in the bone marrow and found in the blood and lymph tissue. White blood cells are part of the body’s immune system. They help the body fight infection and other diseases.
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