Lupus Center

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | W

A

Acute

An acute condition, disease or symptom occurs suddenly or over a short period of time.

Adrenal glands

Two small glands, each sitting on top of a kidney, the adrenal glands produce cortisol, a natural anti-inflammatory hormone. They also produce other hormones and chemicals.

Adrenal insufficiency

When the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones, such as cortisol, the condition is called adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms can include weakness, fatigue, fever, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea.

ANA

Antinuclear antibody (ANA) is a protein that is produced by the body's immune system. ANA is a special type of autoantibody that reacts with components in the nucleus of a cell. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA, but so can others who don't have lupus.

Androgens

These hormones are usually considered male hormones because of their role in producing secondary sex characteristics, such as facial hair. Androgens are also present in females, but at lower levels.

Anemia

The most common blood disorder in people with lupus, anemia occurs when a person has a lower than normal number of red blood cells or these cells don't have enough hemoglobin. As a result, the blood cannot carry enough oxygen to the other cells of the body.

Antibodies

A type of protein, antibodies are produced by the body's immune system in response to foreign substances known as antigens.

Anti-inflammatory

An anti-inflammatory substance is one that helps reduce inflammation, a reaction of body tissues to infection, disease or injury.

Antimalarials

Now used to treat some symptoms of lupus, antimalarials are drugs originally designed to treat malaria. They help to prevent lupus flares and treat skin disease.

Atherosclerosis

Cholesterol, waste products from cells, and other substances can build up in the lining of arteries. This build-up is known as plaque and the disease resulting from the build-up is artherosclerosis. The danger of the disease comes from plaques that grow large enough to reduce the flow of blood through an artery or plaques that rupture and form blood clots that block a blood vessel.

Auto-antibodies

While the body normally produces antibodies to fight against foreign substances, autoantibodies turn against the body's own tissues and attacks itself. This results in autoimmune diseases such as lupus.

Antinuclear antibody (ANA)

This auto-antibody reacts with components in the nucleus of a cell. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA, but so can others who don't have lupus.

Autoimmune

The term autoimmune is used to describe antibodies or disorders that attack the body or organism producing the antibodies.

Autoimmune diseases

These disorders or diseases occur when the body's immune system produces antibodies against itself, attacks itself and destroys healthy tissue.

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B

B cells

A type of white blood cell known as lymphocytes, B cells can mature into plasma cells that secrete antibodies. Together with other immune cells, B-cells interact with T lymphocytes to regulate the immune system.

Basic research or Bench research

Basic research uses cells and animal, plant and computer models to better understand diseases and their causes. This type of research may recall images of a researcher hunched over a laboratory bench to look through a microscope or conduct experiments with cells and for that reason is also known as bench research.

Biologic agents

These drugs are based on compounds that occur naturally in the body. Some biologic agents are known to activate drug-induced lupus, while other biologic agents are used to treat lupus.

Biomarker

A substance or feature in the body that indicates the presence of a condition or disease is known as a biomarker. A biomarker can also be used to monitor the body's response to treatment or progression of disease.

Biopsy

Body cells that need to be studied are removed from the body and examined under a microscope.

Boluses

Large doses or boluses of medications are sometimes given into a vein to more quickly reach the level needed for the medication to become effective.

Butterfly rash

The rash that often develops over the cheeks and joins over the bridge of the nose can resemble the shape of a butterfly and is called a butterfly rash. This rash is common in lupus, although not all people with lupus develop a butterfly rash. Among those that do, the rash may be permanent or come and go and can range in color from faint pink to red.

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C

Cardiovascular system

This body system includes the heart and the blood vessels and is responsible for transporting blood to and from the rest of the body.

Cataracts

When the lens of the eye, which is normally clear, becomes cloudy, the condition is known as a cataract. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment.

Central nervous system

Together, the brain and the spinal cord coordinate the activity of the entire nervous system and are known as the central nervous system.

Chronic

A chronic disease like lupus is long-lasting and without a cure or definite endpoint.

Clinical

This term relates to or is concerned with living patients. Clinical research involves patients, usually testing how medications and other treatments work against specific conditions or diseases.

Clinical trials

Research studies that involve patients, clinical trials are designed to answer specific questions about new treatments or new ways of using known treatments. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to determine whether new drugs or other treatments work in people. In clinical trials, one group of participants receives the experimental drug while another group, the control group, gets standard treatment or an inactive treatment known as a placebo.

Coagulate

This is what the blood does when it clots or thickens into a mass.

Complement

An important part of the immune system, complements are a group of blood proteins that work with antibodies to destroy foreign substances in the body. Complement levels can decline with a lupus flare and are often low with active lupus.

Complete blood count (CBC)

A complete blood count measures the numbers and types of red and white blood cells in a blood sample. This test can show if there are problems in the production and rate of destruction of blood cells, and provide other important information to diagnose and manage lupus and other diseases.

Control group

In a clinical trial or other type of study, the group of people not receiving the new or experimental drug is known as the control group. This group receives standard treatment or an inactive substance known as a placebo.

Controlled trials

These studies of new treatments compare results from patients receiving a new or experimental drug and others receiving standard treatment or an inactive substance known as a placebo.

Corticosteroids

One of the most commonly used treatment for lupus, corticosteroids rapidly reduce inflammation and are highly effective in relieving joint and muscle pain and fatigue. Corticosteroids are related to the natural anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol.

Cortisol

A hormone produced by the adrenal glands, cortisol acts as an anti-inflammatory and can also suppress immune system functions.

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D

Diabetes

Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. This condition can be caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin (the hormone that normally controls blood sugar), by the body not using insulin properly, or both.

Dialysis

When a person's own kidneys fail to function properly, dialysis is needed to remove harmful wastes, extra salt and water, and to maintain a safe level of hormones and other blood chemicals. Dialysis also helps to control blood pressure.

Discoid lupus

This form of lupus is limited to the skin and is identified by a rash on the face, neck, scalp or elsewhere. The rash may last for days or years and may go away and then reappear. About 10% of people with discoid lupus are later diagnosed as having the systemic form of lupus. In those cases, the discoid rash was probably just the first symptom of the systemic form.

Drug-induced lupus

As the name implies, drug-induced lupus is induced or brought on by drugs, usually prescription drugs. Only a small percentage of people taking those medications develop drug-induced lupus and symptoms usually disappear over time once the medication is stopped.

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E

Erythrocytes

These disc-shaped blood cells, also known as red blood cells, get their red color from hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to other cells of the body.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or Sed rate)

By measuring how fast red blood cells (erythrocytes) fall to the bottom of a test tube (the sedimentation rate), the ESR indirectly measures inflammation in the body. ESR is a screening test, so it cannot specifically diagnose lupus or any other disease, but it can be useful in detecting and monitoring autoimmune, inflammatory, and other diseases. ESR is high with active lupus and increases with a lupus flare.

Estrogens

These hormones are usually considered female hormones because of their role in secondary sex characteristics such as breast development. They are also present in males, although at lower levels.

Experimental drugs

Drugs that are not yet licensed or approved for use or as treatment for a particular condition are considered experimental drugs.

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F

Fibromyalgia

This chronic or long-lasting disorder is associated with widespread pain, stiffness and multiple points of tenderness, along with fatigue, headache and sleep disturbances. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown but it can develop on its own or along with other conditions, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Flare

The reappearance or sudden worsening of lupus signs and symptoms is known as a flare.

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G

Genes

Tiny units of hereditary information, genes cluster together as rod-shaped bodies in the nucleus of cells called chromosomes.

Glaucoma

An eye disorder, glaucoma is usually characterized by increased build-up of fluid and pressure within the eye. This can damage the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain, and cause partial or complete loss of vision.

Glucocorticoid

Hormones formed in the adrenal glands, glucocorticoids are natural anti-inflammatory compounds. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid.

Granulocytes

So named because they contain granules that can be seen under a microscope, granulocytes are white blood cells that help fight bacterial infections.

Granulocytopenia

A below normal number of granulocytes in the blood is known as granulocytopenia.

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H

Hemoglobin

A protein found in red blood cells, hemoglobin give blood its color and carries oxygen to other cells of the body.

High blood pressure (also known as hypertenstion)

The pressure that blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels, especially the arteries, is known as blood pressure. It is a result of the force of the blood pumped by the heart and the size and condition of the blood vessels. Blood pressure readings are expressed as two numbers, which indicate millimeters of mercury (mmHg) on a blood pressure gage. The top number is called systolic pressure and is the pressure created by a beating heart. Systolic pressure consistently over 140 is considered very high. The bottom number is called the diastolic pressure and is the pressure inside the blood vessels when the heart is at rest. Diastolic pressure consistently over 90 is considered very high. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute considers a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher to be high blood pressure.

Hormones

Hormones are natural chemical substances produced by the body's endocrine glands, such as the adrenal gland. When secreted into blood or other body fluids, hormones stimulate or have specific effects on the activities of cells and organs.

Hyperglycemia

An excess of sugar in the blood is known as hyperglycemia. This is often an indicator of diabetes.

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I

Immune complexes

Foreign substances known as antigens and the antibodies that the body produces in response to antigens, can combine together in the blood as immune complexes. These complexes tend to accumulate in tissues in the body and are associated with several diseases, including lupus.

Immune system

The immune system components include WBC, complements and antibodies. Together they protect the body from foreign substances through an interacting system of organs, cells, and the substances they produce.

Immunosuppressives

Drugs that restrain an overactive response by the immune system are known as immunosuppressives. Drugs of this type used to treat lupus are cyclophosphamide, rituximab, mycopheholate mofetil, methotrexate, and azathioprine.

Inflammation

A reaction of body tissues to infection, disease or injury, inflammation is characterized by redness, heat, swelling and pain. Redness and heat are caused by an influx of blood to the area. Swelling is caused by plasma cells flowing into the tissue spaces. This can press on nerve endings and cause pain.

Inflammatory

Diseases or other conditions that cause inflammation are known as inflammatory.

Informed consent

Making a decision to try a new treatment or procedure or to participate in a clinical trial depends on expected results, possible side effects and other information. The process of learning all this and then consenting to try the new treatment or participate in the clinical trial is known as informed consent.

Intravenous

Injecting drugs or other substances into the body through a vein is known as the intravenous route of administration.

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGS)

Blood proteins that act as antibodies, IVIGs are used to control lupus that involves a body organ or causes inflammation. The blood used to extract the proteins is pooled from several thousand donors who have been carefully screened for blood borne diseases.

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K

Kidneys

These organs rid the blood of unwanted waste products of metabolism. These products are collected as urine and excreted from the body.

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L

Lupus anticoagulant

This is one of several kinds of antiphospholipid antibodies, which react with blood proteins bound to phospholipid, a part of the cell membrane. While lupus anticoagulant acts as an anticoagulant (blood thinner) in laboratory tests to detect is presence, it does not act as an anticoagulant in the body. If it did, it might cause hemorrhages (large losses of blood), but in the body lupus anticoagulant is associated with blood clots known as thromboses.

Lymphocytes

Making up 20% to 30% of white blood cells in the human body, lymphocytes resist foreign substances by attacking them directly or producing antibodies.

Lymphocytopenia or Lymphopenia

Both these terms refer to a below normal level of lymphocytes in the blood. Active lupus is associated with lymphocytopenia.

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M

Models

In science, models are simplified systems that can be used to study biological processes. Models can be plants, animals or computer programs.

Multidisciplinary

This term refers to using many different fields of study or disciplines. The Lupus Center multidisciplinary team includes health professionals representing the fields or disciplines of rheumatology, nephrology, psychology, nursing, nutrition, social work, and physical and occupational therapy.

N

Neonatal lupus

Neonatal lupus is a rare condition that can occur among babies born to mothers who have lupus and to those who have the autoantibodies anti-Ro/SSA or anti-La/SSB. Autoantibodies in the blood of a pregnant woman's blood can pass to the fetus. After delivery, the baby may develop a rash and heart, blood and liver problems. These symptoms usually go away over the next several months. Occasionally, neonatal lupus can cause a serious heart problem that slows down the natural rhythm of the heart.

Nephrologist

A physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases is known as a nephrologist.

Nephrology

The branch of medicine that deals with the kidneys is known as nephrology.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

These drugs can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. NSAIDs are often the drugs of choice for people with lupus who have mild symptoms and little or no organ involvement. They include over-the-counter medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, as well as prescription drugs.

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O

Ophthalmologist

A physician who has received advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases is called an ophthalmologist.

Osteoporosis

Thinning or weakening of the bones, osteoporosis can be a side effect of taking corticosteroids to treat lupus. Among others things, taking calcium and vitamin D regularly can help prevent osteoporosis.

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P

Pediatrics

This branch of medicine is concerned with the development and medical care of children and diagnosing and treating childhood diseases.

Placebo

An inactive substance made to resemble a medication, a placebo may be given to the control group in a study evaluating a new treatment.

Plasma cells

Mature and activated B cells become plasma cells that secrete antibodies.

Platelets

Disc-like particles in the blood, platelets assist in blood clotting and prevent abnormal bleeding. They are also called thrombocytes.

Preeclampsia

High blood pressure that occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy, preeclampsia can be accompanied by a buildup of excess watery fluid in the body, sudden weight gain, swelling of the hands and feet and protein in the urine. Women with lupus are at greater risk of developing preeclampsia.

Progesterone

This hormone helps prepare a woman's body for pregnancy and growth of the developing fetus.

Prognosis

The expected or probable outcome of an illness or disease is known as the prognosis.

Psychologist

A psychologist is a mental health professional who has received advanced training in the study of the mind and behavior.

Psychology

The branch of medicine that deals with the study of the mind and behavior is known as psychology.

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R

Red blood cells

These disc-shaped blood cells get their red color from hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to other cells of the body. Red blood cells are also known as erythrocytes.

Remission

When symptoms of a disease decrease or disappear, the disease is in remission.

Rheumatic disease

Disease that primarily involves the muscles and joints. Inflammation, soreness and stiffness of muscles and pain in joints are hallmarks of rheumatic disease. Lupus is considered both a rheumatic and an autoimmune disease. Hence lupus patients need to be seen by physicians specializing in rheumatic disease; eg. rheumatologist.

Rheumatologist

A physician who has received advanced training in treating rheumatic diseases is known as a rheumatologist.

Rheumatology

The medical specialty of rheumatology is concerned with treating conditions that cause inflammation, soreness and stiffness of muscles and pain in the joints. These are known as rheumatic diseases.

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S

Sed rate

Also known as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the sed rate indirectly measures inflammation in the body by directly measuring how fast red blood cells (erythrocytes) fall to the bottom of a test tube (the sedimentation rate). The sed rate is a screening test, so it cannot specifically diagnose lupus of any other disease, but it can be useful in detecting and monitoring autoimmune, inflammatory and other diseases.

Steroids

The drugs most commonly used to treat lupus are steroids, also known as corticosteroids. Most signs of lupus respond rapidly to this treatment. These are potent drugs that can have serious side effects that need to be carefully monitored.

Steroid-sparing

This refers to medications that may be used to reduce or eliminate the need for taking corticosteroids, thus sparing patients from the side effects of corticosteroids.

Systemic

Conditions or diseases that involve the whole body and not just one of its parts are considered systemic. Most cases of lupus are systemic.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

This is the form of the disease most people mean when they talk about lupus. Approximately 70% of lupus cases are systemic, meaning the disease can affect any part of the body. About 50% of people with SLE have a major organ affected, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. Flares, or periods of time when the disease is active and the symptoms most serious, alternate with periods of improvement or remission.

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T

T lymphocytes

These white blood cells are important in the body's defense against bacterial infections and help B cells make antibodies.

Thrombocytes

Also known as platelets, thrombocytes are disc-like blood particles that assist in blood clotting and prevent abnormal bleeding. The number of thrombocytes can decrease in people with active lupus, a condition known as thrombocytopenia.

Thrombocytopenia

A below normal level of platelets, also known as thrombocytes, is known as thrombocytopenia. Platelets assist in clotting. Not having enough platelets can cause bleeding and bruising.

Thromboses

Blood clots that form inside a blood vessel are called thromboses.

Translational research

Basic research findings from cells or from animals, plant and computer models can provide insight into biological process and may translate into new treatments of cures in humans. This process is known as translational research.

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U

Urinalysis

A complete analysis of the properties of urine, urinalysis can provide important information about how the kidneys are working, as well as how the body uses food and reacts to stress. Kidney problems occur in about 50% of all people with lupus. Urine of patients with lupus nephritis may contain RBC, WBC and proteins.

W

Wellness

The quality or state or being in good overall health, wellness involves paying close attention to body, mind and spirit.

White blood cells

Actually colorless, white blood cells plays an important part in the body's defense against infection (immune system). White blood cells include granulocytes and lymphocytes.

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