falan42/medcuad_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Question: What causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ?
Answer: What causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease? Some researchers believe an unusual 'slow virus' or another organism causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). However, they have never been able to isolate a virus or other organism in people with the disease. Furthermore, the agent that causes CJD has several characteristics that are unusual for known organisms such as viruses and bacteria. It is difficult to kill, it does not appear to contain any genetic information in the form of nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), and it usually has a long incubation period before symptoms appear. In some cases, the incubation period may be as long as 40 years. The leading scientific theory at this time maintains that CJD and the other TSEs are caused by a type of protein called a prion. Prion proteins occur in both a normal form, which is a harmless protein found in the bodys cells, and in an infectious form, which causes disease. The harmless and infectious forms of the prion protein have the same sequence of amino acids (the 'building blocks' of proteins) but the infectious form of the protein takes a different folded shape than the normal protein. Sporadic CJD may develop because some of a persons normal prions spontaneously change into the infectious form of the protein and then alter the prions in other cells in a chain reaction. Once they appear, abnormal prion proteins aggregate, or clump together. Investigators think these protein aggregates may lead to the neuron loss and other brain damage seen in CJD. However, they do not know exactly how this damage occurs. About 5 to 10 percent of all CJD cases are inherited. These cases arise from a mutation, or change, in the gene that controls formation of the normal prion protein. While prions themselves do not contain genetic information and do not require genes to reproduce themselves, infectious prions can arise if a mutation occurs in the gene for the bodys normal prion protein. If the prion protein gene is altered in a persons sperm or egg cells, the mutation can be transmitted to the persons offspring. Several different mutations in the prion gene have been identified. The particular mutation found in each family affects how frequently the disease appears and what symptoms are most noticeable. However, not all people with mutations in the prion protein gene develop CJD.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Question: How to diagnose Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ?
Answer: How is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease diagnosed? There is currently no single diagnostic test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). When a doctor suspects CJD, the first concern is to rule out treatable forms of dementia such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or chronic meningitis. A neurological examination will be performed and the doctor may seek consultation with other physicians. Standard diagnostic tests will include a spinal tap to rule out more common causes of dementia and an electroencephalogram (EEG) to record the brains electrical pattern, which can be particularly valuable because it shows a specific type of abnormality in CJD. Computerized tomography of the brain can help rule out the possibility that the symptoms result from other problems such as stroke or a brain tumor. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans also can reveal characteristic patterns of brain degeneration that can help diagnose CJD. The only way to confirm a diagnosis of CJD is by brain biopsy or autopsy. In a brain biopsy, a neurosurgeon removes a small piece of tissue from the patients brain so that it can be examined by a neuropathologist. This procedure may be dangerous for the patient, and the operation does not always obtain tissue from the affected part of the brain. Because a correct diagnosis of CJD does not help the patient, a brain biopsy is discouraged unless it is needed to rule out a treatable disorder. In an autopsy, the whole brain is examined after death. Scientists are working to develop laboratory tests for CJD. One such test, developed at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), studies a person's cerebrospinal fluid to see of it contains a protein marker that indicates neuronal degeneration.This can help to diagnose CJD in people who already show the clinical symptoms of the disease. This test is much easier and safer than a brain biopsy. The false positive rate is about 5 to 10 percent. Scientists are working to develop this test for use in commercial laboratories. They are also working to develop other tests for this disorder.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Question: What are the treatments for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ?
Answer: How might Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease be treated? There is no treatment that can cure or control Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Researchers have tested many drugs, including amantadine, steroids, interferon, acyclovir, antiviral agents, and antibiotics. Studies of a variety of other drugs are now in progress. However, so far none of these treatments has shown any consistent benefit in humans. Current treatment for CJD is aimed at alleviating symptoms and making the patient as comfortable as possible. Opiate drugs can help relieve pain if it occurs, and the drugs clonazepam and sodium valproate may help relieve myoclonus. During later stages of the disease, changing the persons position frequently can keep him or her comfortable and helps prevent bedsores. A catheter can be used to drain urine if the patient cannot control bladder function, and intravenous fluids and artificial feeding also may be used.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus
Question: What is (are) Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus ?
Answer: Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN) is a type of skin overgrowth. The skin nevi appear as skin colored, brown, or reddish, wort-like papules. The nevi join to form well-demarcated plaques. The plaques may be itchy and often affects only one side of the body. ILVEN tends to be present from birth to early childhood. It affects females more often than males. It usually occurs alone. Rarely ILVEN occurs in association with epidermal nevus syndrome. While rare ILVEN may become cancerous (i.e., transform to basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma). The cause of ILVEN is currently unknown. Click here to visit the DermNetNZ Web site and view an image of ILVEN.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Autoimmune hepatitis
Question: What is (are) Autoimmune hepatitis ?
Answer: Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the bodys immune system attacks liver cells. This immune response causes inflammation of the liver, also called hepatitis. The disease can be quite serious and, if not treated, gets worse over time, leading to cirrhosis of the liver and/or liver failure. Autoimmune hepatitis sometimes occurs in relatives of people with autoimmune diseases, suggesting a genetic cause. This disease is most common in young girls and women.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Autoimmune hepatitis
Question: What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hepatitis ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Autoimmune hepatitis? Symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis range from mild to severe. Fatigue is probably the most common symptom of autoimmune hepatitis. Other symptoms include: an enlarged liver jaundice itching skin rashes joint pain abdominal discomfort spider angiomas, or abnormal blood vessels, on the skin nausea vomiting loss of appetite dark urine pale or gray-colored stools People in advanced stages of the disease are more likely to have symptoms related to chronic liver disease, such as fluid in the abdomenalso called ascitesand mental confusion. Women may stop having menstrual periods. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Autoimmune hepatitis. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Autoimmune antibody positivity - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Autoimmune hepatitis
Question: What causes Autoimmune hepatitis ?
Answer: What causes autoimmune hepatitis? Although the exact cause of autoimmune hepatitis is unknown, evidence suggests that liver injury in a patient with autoimmune hepatitis is the result of a cell-mediated immunologic attack. This autoimmune attack may be triggered by genetic factors, viral infections, or chemical agents. Autoimmune hepatitis sometimes occurs in relatives of people with autoimmune diseases, further suggesting a genetic cause.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Autoimmune hepatitis
Question: How to diagnose Autoimmune hepatitis ?
Answer: How is autoimmune hepatitis diagnosed? The diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis is typically made based on symptoms, blood tests, and a liver biopsy.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Autoimmune hepatitis
Question: What are the treatments for Autoimmune hepatitis ?
Answer: How might autoimmune hepatitis be treated? Some people with mild forms of autoimmune hepatitis may not need to take medication. Doctors assess each patient individually to determine whether those with mild autoimmune hepatitis should undergo treatment. Treatment works best when autoimmune hepatitis is diagnosed early. With proper treatment, autoimmune hepatitis can usually be controlled. In fact, studies show that sustained response to treatment stops the disease from getting worse and may reverse some of the damage. The primary treatment is medicine to suppress, or slow down, an overactive immune system. Prednisone or other corticosteroids help reduce the inflammation. Azathioprine and mercaptopurine are drugs used to treat other autoimmune disorders, which have shown to help patients with autoimmune hepatitis as well. In about seven out of 10 people, the disease goes into remission within 3 years of starting treatment. Remission occurs when symptoms disappear and lab tests show improvement in liver function. Some people can eventually stop treatment, although many will see the disease return. People who stop treatment must carefully monitor their condition and promptly report any new symptoms to their doctor. Treatment with low doses of prednisone or azathioprine may be necessary on and off for years, if not for life. People who do not respond to standard immune therapy or who have severe side effects may benefit from other immunosuppressive agents such as mycophenylate mofetil, cyclosporine, or tacrolimus. People who progress to end-stage liver diseasealso called liver failureor cirrhosis may need a liver transplant. Transplantation has a 1-year survival rate of 90 percent and a 5-year survival rate of 70 to 80 percent.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
Question: What is (are) Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita ?
Answer: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes the skin to blister in response to minor injury. Common areas of blistering include the hands, feet, knees, elbows, and buttocks. It can also affect the mouth, nose, and eyes. Some affected people have other health problems such as Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, amyloidosis, or multiple myeloma. EBA is not inherited and usually occurs in adulthood. Treatment aims to protect the skin, stop the formation of blisters, and promote healing. Immunosuppressive drugs may be used to reduce the body's autoimmune response.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
Question: What are the symptoms of Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita? Symptoms of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) usually occur in a person's 30s or 40s. The signs and symptoms can differ among affected people, and the condition has several distinct forms of onset. For example: Non-inflammatory or mildly inflammatory EBA affecting only trauma-prone skin (the "classic" form) may cause: tense, blood- or pus-filled blisters, mostly on the hands, knees, knuckles, elbows and ankles mucous-membrane blisters that rupture easily healing with significant scarring and small white spots (milia) Generalized inflammatory EBA may cause: widespread blisters that are not localized to trauma-prone sites generalized redness and itching healing with minimal scarring The mucous membrane form of EBA may cause: blisters on various mucous membranes significant scarring and dysfunction The features of the condition may change during the course of the disease or may represent two forms at the same time. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Abnormal blistering of the skin 90% Abnormality of the oral cavity 90% Abnormality of the nail 50% Abdominal pain 7.5% Abnormality of the intestine 7.5% Atypical scarring of skin 7.5% Pruritus 7.5% Thickened skin 7.5% Urticaria 7.5% The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
Question: What causes Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita ?
Answer: What causes epidermolysis bullosa acquisita? The underlying cause of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is not known. It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, which means that the immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake. In EBA, certain immune proteins (usually IgG autoantibodies) mistakenly target and attack a specific type of collagen (a skin protein) involved in "anchoring" the skin. In some milder cases of EBA, the immune proteins involved are thought to be IgA, rather than IgG autoantibodies. The initiating event that leads to autoantibody production is unknown. EBA affecting several family members has been reported, suggesting a genetic component may be involved in some cases. Rarely, people with lupus, a systemic autoimmune disease, develop a generalized blistering skin disease with the features of EBA. EBA has also been associated with Crohn's disease.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
Question: Is Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita inherited ?
Answer: Is epidermolysis bullosa acquisita inherited? Unlike the genetic forms of epidermolysis bullosa, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is considered an acquired, sporadic disease. This means that it generally occurs in people with no history of the condition in their families. There have been a couple of reports of families with more than one affected person, suggesting a genetic component may be involved. This could mean that EBA may develop in a person who is "genetically susceptible." However, the condition is not thought to be due to any specific gene(s).
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
Question: What are the treatments for Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita ?
Answer: How might epidermolysis bullosa acquisita be treated?
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Severe combined immunodeficiency, atypical
Question: What are the symptoms of Severe combined immunodeficiency, atypical ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Severe combined immunodeficiency, atypical? The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Severe combined immunodeficiency, atypical. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Autosomal recessive inheritance - Diarrhea - Eczematoid dermatitis - Failure to thrive - Hepatomegaly - Panhypogammaglobulinemia - Pneumonia - Recurrent candida infections - Splenomegaly - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Ichthyosis and male hypogonadism
Question: What are the symptoms of Ichthyosis and male hypogonadism ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Ichthyosis and male hypogonadism? The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Ichthyosis and male hypogonadism. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Abnormality of metabolism/homeostasis - Anosmia - Congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma - Gonadotropin deficiency - Hyperchromic macrocytic anemia - Hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism - Intellectual disability - Male hypogonadism - Rod-cone dystrophy - Seizures - X-linked inheritance - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Dominant optic atrophy
Question: What is (are) Dominant optic atrophy ?
Answer: Dominant optic atrophy (DOA) is an inherited optic nerve disorder characterized by degeneration of the optic nerves. It typically starts during the first decade of life. Affected people usually develop moderate visual loss and color vision defects. The severity varies and visual acuity can range from normal to legal blindness. About 20% of people with DOA have non-ocular features, such as sensorineural hearing loss; myopathy; peripheral neuropathy; multiple sclerosis-like illness; and spastic paraplegia (impaired function of the legs). These cases may be referred to as 'DOA plus.' DOA is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and may be caused by a mutation in any of several genes, some of which have not been identified. There is currently no way to prevent or cure DOA, but affected people may benefit from low vision aids.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Dominant optic atrophy
Question: Is Dominant optic atrophy inherited ?
Answer: How is dominant optic atrophy inherited? Dominant optic atrophy (DOA) is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. This means that having a change (mutation) in only one copy of the responsible gene in each cell is enough to cause features of the condition. In some cases, an affected person inherits the mutated gene from a parent. In other cases, the mutation occurs for the first time in an affected person and is not inherited from a parent (a de novo mutation). When a person with a mutation that causes DOA has children, each child has a 50% (1 in 2) chance to inherit the mutation. While a mutation responsible for DOA can cause the condition, not all people with a mutation will develop DOA. This means that DOA has reduced penetrance. There are likely to be other genetic and environmental factors that influence whether a person with a mutation will develop features of DOA. Additionally, not all people who do develop features will be affected the same way, and severity can vary - even within families. This phenomenon is known as variable expressivity. People with questions about genetic risks or genetic testing for themselves or family members are encouraged to speak with a genetics professional.
(Source: GARD)
Topic: Dominant optic atrophy
Question: What are the treatments for Dominant optic atrophy ?
Answer: How might dominant optic atrophy be treated? There is currently no cure for dominant optic atrophy (DOA). Management generally consists of regular eye exams, including measurement of visual acuity, color vision, visual fields and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Currently there is no specific treatment, but low-vision aids in individuals with severely decreased visual acuity can be helpful. A preliminary study published in February 2013 found that several individuals with specific OPA1 mutations who underwent idebenone therapy (which has been used to treat some cases of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy) experienced some improvement of visual function. However, more thorough research is necessary to confirm these findings. Acupuncture is also being studied as a potential treatment. Avoiding tobacco and alcohol intake and certain medications (antibiotics, antivirals), which can interfere with mitochondrial metabolism, may help to slow the progression. Cochlear implants have been shown to markedly improve hearing in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss.
(Source: GARD)