Acute Myocarditis/Inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) is defined as inflammation of the heart muscle associated with impaired function of the myocardium, which has most often the morphology of dilated cardiomyopathy. Inflammation of the heart muscle itself, that is, myocarditis may have many infectious (viral, bacterial, and protozoal infections) and noninfectious causes (e.g., myocarditis accompanying autoimmune disease or … [Read more…]
Inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) is defined as inflammation of the heart muscle associated with impaired function of the myocardium, which has most often the morphology of dilated cardiomyopathy. Inflammation of the heart muscle itself, that is, myocarditis may have many infectious (viral, bacterial, and protozoal infections) and noninfectious causes (e.g., myocarditis accompanying autoimmune disease or hypersensitivity … [Read more…]
Anti NMDAR encephalitis is a relatively common autoimmune encephalitis characterized by complex neuropsychiatric features and the presence of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). It is the best known and likely the most common type of immune-mediated limbic encephalitis. Acute or subacute neuropsychiatric … [Read more…]
Acquired Angioedema/Angioedema is non-pitting edema that involves subcutaneous and/or submucosal layers of tissue that affect the face, lips, neck, and extremities, oral cavity, larynx, and/or gut. It becomes life-threatening when it involves the larynx. This activity examines the differential diagnosis of this condition and how to properly evaluate a patient presenting with it. This activity … [Read more…]
Anti-GBM/Anti-TBM nephritis Anti–glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibody disease is a rare autoimmune disorder caused by autoantibodies that attack the walls of small blood vessels (capillaries) in the kidney. Anti-GBM disease that only affects the kidneys is called anti-GBM glomerulonephritis. This is a form of inflammation (-itis), which is an injury to tissue caused by white blood … [Read more…]
X-Linked Agammaglobulinemia /Agammaglobulinemia is a rare form of primary immune deficiency autosomal recessive inheritance disorders characterized by the absence of circulating B cells and low serum levels of all immunoglobulin classes or complete absence of B lymphocytes and complete lack of immunoglobulins. In the presence of normal T cell counts and function that are related … [Read more…]
Swallowing problems for liquids and solids/Achalasia is a rare neurodegenerative motor smooth muscle motility disorder of the esophagus resulting in deranged oesophageal peristalsis and loss of lower oesophageal sphincter function that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass into your stomach. Achalasia occurs when nerves in the tube connecting your mouth and stomach … [Read more…]
The Life and Death of a Neuron/Until recently, most neuroscientists thought we were born with all the neurons we were ever going to have. As children we might produce some new neurons to help build the pathways – called neural circuits – that act as information highways between different areas of the brain. But scientists … [Read more…]
Shingles is the reactivation of a viral infection in the nerves to the skin that causes pain, burning, or a tingling sensation, along with an itch and blisters in the skin supplied by the affected nerve. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, or VZV—the same virus that causes chickenpox. When the itchy red spots of … [Read more…]
Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of more than 30 genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles used during voluntary movement. The word dystrophy is derived from the Greek dys, which means “difficult” or “faulty,” and troph, or “nourish.” These disorders vary in age of onset, severity, and pattern of affected muscles. … [Read more…]