sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What is (are) Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: Biliary atresia is a life-threatening condition in infants in which the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not have normal openings.
                
Bile ducts in the liver, also called hepatic ducts, are tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder for storage and to the small intestine for use in digestion. Bile is a fluid made by the liver that serves two main functions: carrying toxins and waste products out of the body and helping the body digest fats and absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
                
With biliary atresia, bile becomes trapped, builds up, and damages the liver. The damage leads to scarring, loss of liver tissue, and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a chronic, or long lasting, liver condition caused by scar tissue and cell damage that makes it hard for the liver to remove toxins from the blood. These toxins build up in the blood and the liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions. Without treatment, the liver eventually fails and the infant needs a liver transplant to stay alive.
                
The two types of biliary atresia are fetal and perinatal. Fetal biliary atresia appears while the baby is in the womb. Perinatal biliary atresia is much more common and does not become evident until 2 to 4 weeks after birth. Some infants, particularly those with the fetal form, also have birth defects in the heart, spleen, or intestines.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: Who is at risk for Biliary Atresia? ?
Answer: Biliary atresia is rare and only affects about one out of every 18,000 infants.1 The disease is more common in females, premature babies, and children of Asian or African American heritage.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What are the symptoms of Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: The first symptom of biliary atresia is jaundicewhen the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. Jaundice occurs when the liver does not remove bilirubin, a reddish-yellow substance formed when hemoglobin breaks down. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color. Bilirubin is absorbed by the liver, processed, and released into bile. Blockage of the bile ducts forces bilirubin to build up in the blood.
                
Other common symptoms of biliary atresia include
                
- dark urine, from the high levels of bilirubin in the blood spilling over into the urine  - gray or white stools, from a lack of bilirubin reaching the intestines  - slow weight gain and growth
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What causes Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: Biliary atresia likely has multiple causes, though none are yet proven. Biliary atresia is not an inherited disease, meaning it does not pass from parent to child. Therefore, survivors of biliary atresia are not at risk for passing the disorder to their children.
                
Biliary atresia is most likely caused by an event in the womb or around the time of birth. Possible triggers of the event may include one or more of the following:
                
- a viral or bacterial infection after birth, such as cytomegalovirus, reovirus, or rotavirus  - an immune system problem, such as when the immune system attacks the liver or bile ducts for unknown reasons  - a genetic mutation, which is a permanent change in a genes structure  - a problem during liver and bile duct development in the womb  - exposure to toxic substances
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What are the treatments for Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: Biliary atresia is treated with surgery, called the Kasai procedure, or a liver transplant.
                
Kasai Procedure
                
The Kasai procedure, named after the surgeon who invented the operation, is usually the first treatment for biliary atresia. During a Kasai procedure, the pediatric surgeon removes the infants damaged bile ducts and brings up a loop of intestine to replace them. As a result, bile flows straight to the small intestine.
                
While this operation doesnt cure biliary atresia, it can restore bile flow and correct many problems caused by biliary atresia. Without surgery, infants with biliary atresia are unlikely to live past age 2. This procedure is most effective in infants younger than 3 months old, because they usually havent yet developed permanent liver damage. Some infants with biliary atresia who undergo a successful Kasai procedure regain good health and no longer have jaundice or major liver problems.
                
If the Kasai procedure is not successful, infants usually need a liver transplant within 1 to 2 years. Even after a successful surgery, most infants with biliary atresia slowly develop cirrhosis over the years and require a liver transplant by adulthood.
                
Liver Transplant
                
Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for biliary atresia, and the survival rate after surgery has increased dramatically in recent years. As a result, most infants with biliary atresia now survive. Progress in transplant surgery has also increased the availability and efficient use of livers for transplantation in children, so almost all infants requiring a transplant can receive one.
                
In years past, the size of the transplanted liver had to match the size of the infants liver. Thus, only livers from recently deceased small children could be transplanted into infants with biliary atresia. New methods now make it possible to transplant a portion of a deceased adults liver into an infant. This type of surgery is called a reduced-size or split-liver transplant.
                
Part of a living adult donors liver can also be used for transplantation. Healthy liver tissue grows quickly; therefore, if an infant receives part of a liver from a living donor, both the donor and the infant can grow complete livers over time.
                
Infants with fetal biliary atresia are more likely to need a liver transplantand usually soonerthan infants with the more common perinatal form. The extent of damage can also influence how soon an infant will need a liver transplant.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What are the complications of Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: After the Kasai procedure, some infants continue to have liver problems and, even with the return of bile flow, some infants develop cirrhosis. Possible complications after the Kasai procedure include ascites, bacterial cholangitis, portal hypertension, and pruritus.
                
Ascites. Problems with liver function can cause fluid to build up in the abdomen, called ascites. Ascites can lead to spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, a serious infection that requires immediate medical attention. Ascites usually only lasts a few weeks. If ascites lasts more than 6 weeks, cirrhosis is likely present and the infant will probably need a liver transplant.
                
Bacterial cholangitis. Bacterial cholangitis is an infection of the bile ducts that is treated with bacteria-fighting medications called antibiotics.
                
Portal hypertension. The portal vein carries blood from the stomach, intestines, spleen, gallbladder, and pancreas to the liver. In cirrhosis, scar tissue partially blocks and slows the normal flow of blood, which increases the pressure in the portal vein. This condition is called portal hypertension. Portal hypertension can cause gastrointestinal bleeding that may require surgery and an eventual liver transplant.
                
Pruritus. Pruritus is caused by bile buildup in the blood and irritation of nerve endings in the skin. Prescription medication may be recommended for pruritus, including resins that bind bile in the intestines and antihistamines that decrease the skins sensation of itching.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What to do for Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: Infants with biliary atresia often have nutritional deficiencies and require special diets as they grow up. They may need a higher calorie diet, because biliary atresia leads to a faster metabolism. The disease also prevents them from digesting fats and can lead to protein and vitamin deficiencies. Vitamin supplements may be recommended, along with adding medium-chain triglyceride oil to foods, liquids, and infant formula. The oil adds calories and is easier to digest without bile than other types of fats. If an infant or child is too sick to eat, a feeding tube may be recommended to provide high-calorie liquid meals.
                
After a liver transplant, most infants and children can go back to their usual diet. Vitamin supplements may still be needed because the medications used to keep the body from rejecting the new liver can affect calcium and magnesium levels.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Biliary Atresia
Question: What to do for Biliary Atresia ?
Answer: - Biliary atresia is a life-threatening condition in infants in which the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not have normal openings.  - The first symptom of biliary atresia is jaundicewhen the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. Other symptoms include dark urine, gray or white stools, and slow weight gain and growth.  - Biliary atresia likely has multiple causes, though none is yet proven.  - No single test can definitively diagnose biliary atresia, so a series of tests is needed, including a blood test, abdominal x ray, ultrasound, liver scans, liver biopsy, and diagnostic surgery.  - Initial treatment for biliary atresia is usually the Kasai procedure, an operation where the bile ducts are removed and a loop of intestine is brought up to replace them.  - The definitive treatment for biliary atresia is liver transplant.  - After a liver transplant, a regimen of medications is used to prevent the immune system from rejecting the new liver. Health care providers may also prescribe blood pressure medications and antibiotics, along with special diets and vitamin supplements.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Hyperthyroidism
Question: What is (are) Hyperthyroidism ?
Answer: Hyperthyroidism is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormone than the body needs. Hyperthyroidism is sometimes called thyrotoxicosis, the technical term for too much thyroid hormone in the blood. Thyroid hormones circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream and act on virtually every tissue and cell in the body. Hyperthyroidism causes many of the bodys functions to speed up. About 1 percent of the U.S. population has hyperthyroidism.1
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Hyperthyroidism
Question: What is (are) Hyperthyroidism ?
Answer: The thyroid is a 2-inch-long, butterfly-shaped gland weighing less than 1 ounce. Located in the front of the neck below the larynx, or voice box, it has two lobes, one on each side of the windpipe. The thyroid is one of the glands that make up the endocrine system. The glands of the endocrine system produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream. The hormones then travel through the body and direct the activity of the bodys cells.
                
The thyroid gland makes two thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). T3 is made from T4 and is the more active hormone, directly affecting the tissues. Thyroid hormones affect metabolism, brain development, breathing, heart and nervous system functions, body temperature, muscle strength, skin dryness, menstrual cycles, weight, and cholesterol levels.
                
Thyroid hormone production is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is made by the pituitary gland in the brain. When thyroid hormone levels in the blood are low, the pituitary releases more TSH. When thyroid hormone levels are high, the pituitary responds by decreasing TSH production.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Hyperthyroidism
Question: What are the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism ?
Answer: Hyperthyroidism has many symptoms that can vary from person to person. Some common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are
                
- nervousness or irritability  - fatigue or muscle weakness  - heat intolerance  - trouble sleeping  - hand tremors  - rapid and irregular heartbeat  - frequent bowel movements or diarrhea  - weight loss  - mood swings  - goiter, which is an enlarged thyroid that may cause the neck to look swollen and can interfere with normal breathing and swallowing
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Hyperthyroidism
Question: How to diagnose Hyperthyroidism ?
Answer: Many symptoms of hyperthyroidism are the same as those of other diseases, so hyperthyroidism usually cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. With suspected hyperthyroidism, health care providers take a medical history and perform a thorough physical exam. Health care providers may then use several blood tests, such as the following, to confirm a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism and find its cause:
                
TSH test. The ultrasensitive TSH test is usually the first test a health care provider performs. This test detects even tiny amounts of TSH in the blood and is the most accurate measure of thyroid activity available. The TSH test is especially useful in detecting mild hyperthyroidism. Generally, a TSH reading below normal means a person has hyperthyroidism and a reading above normal means a person has hypothyroidism.
                
Health care providers may conduct additional tests to help confirm the diagnosis or determine the cause of hyperthyroidism.
                
T3 and T4 test. This test shows the levels of T3 and T4 in the blood. With hyperthyroidism, the levels of one or both of these hormones in the blood are higher than normal.
                
Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) test. This test, also called a thyroidstimulating antibody test, measures the level of TSI in the blood. Most people with Graves disease have this antibody, but people whose hyperthyroidism is caused by other conditions do not.
                
Radioactive iodine uptake test. The radioactive iodine uptake test measures the amount of iodine the thyroid collects from the bloodstream. Measuring the amount of iodine in a persons thyroid helps the health care provider determine what is causing a persons hyperthyroidism. For example, low levels of iodine uptake might be a sign of thyroiditis, whereas high levels could indicate Graves disease.
                
Thyroid scan. A thyroid scan shows how and where iodine is distributed in the thyroid. The images of nodules and other possible irregularities help the health care provider diagnose the cause of a persons hyperthyroidism.
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Thyroid Tests.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Hyperthyroidism
Question: What to do for Hyperthyroidism ?
Answer: Experts recommend that people eat a balanced diet to obtain most nutrients. More information about diet and nutrition is provided by the National Agricultural Library at www.nutrition.gov.
                
Dietary Supplements
                
Iodine is an essential mineral for the thyroid. However, people with autoimmune thyroid disease may be sensitive to harmful side effects from iodine. Taking iodine drops or eating foods containing large amounts of iodinesuch as seaweed, dulse, or kelpmay cause or worsen hyperthyroidism. More information about iodine is provided by the National Library of Medicine in the fact sheet, Iodine in diet, available at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus.
                
Women need more iodine when they are pregnantabout 250 micrograms a daybecause the baby gets iodine from the mothers diet. In the United States, about 7 percent of pregnant women may not get enough iodine in their diet or through prenatal vitamins.6 Choosing iodized saltsalt supplemented with iodineover plain salt and prenatal vitamins containing iodine will ensure this need is met.
                
To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of dietary supplements, such as iodine, with their health care provider. Tips for talking with health care providers are available through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Hyperthyroidism
Question: What to do for Hyperthyroidism ?
Answer: - Hyperthyroidism is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormone than the body needs.  - Hyperthyroidism is most often caused by Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder. Other causes include thyroid nodules, thyroiditis, consuming too much iodine, and overmedicating with synthetic thyroid hormone.  - Some symptoms of hyperthyroidism are nervousness or irritability, fatigue or muscle weakness, heat intolerance, trouble sleeping, hand tremors, rapid and irregular heartbeat, frequent bowel movements or diarrhea, weight loss, mood swings, and goiter.  - Hyperthyroidism is much more common in women than men.  - Hyperthyroidism is also more common in people older than age 60 and is often caused by thyroid nodules. Hyperthyroidism in this age group is sometimes misdiagnosed as depression or dementia. For people older than age 60, subclinical hyperthyroidism increases their chance of developing atrial fibrillation.  - Women with hyperthyroidism should discuss their condition with their health care provider before becoming pregnant.  - Hyperthyroidism is treated with medications, radioiodine therapy, or thyroid surgery. No single treatment works for everyone.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gastritis
Question: What is (are) Gastritis ?
Answer: Gastritis is a condition in which the stomachliningknown as the mucosais inflamed, or swollen. The stomach lining contains glands that produce stomach acid and an enzyme called pepsin. The stomach acid breaks down food and pepsin digests protein. A thick layer of mucus coats the stomach lining and helps prevent the acidic digestive juice from dissolving the stomach tissue. When the stomach lining is inflamed, it produces less acid and fewer enzymes. However, the stomach lining also produces less mucus and other substances that normally protect the stomach lining from acidic digestive juice.
                
Gastritis may be acute or chronic:
                
- Acute gastritis starts suddenly and lasts for a short time.  - Chronic gastritis is long lasting. If chronic gastritis is not treated, it may last for years or even a lifetime.
                
Gastritis can be erosive or nonerosive:
                
- Erosive gastritis can cause the stomach lining to wear away, causing erosionsshallow breaks in the stomach liningor ulcersdeep sores in the stomach lining.  - Nonerosive gastritis causes inflammation in the stomach lining; however, erosions or ulcers do not accompany nonerosive gastritis.
                
A health care provider may refer a person with gastritis to a gastroenterologista doctor who specializes in digestive diseases.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gastritis
Question: What are the symptoms of Gastritis ?
Answer: Some people who have gastritis have pain or discomfort in the upper part of the abdomenthe area between the chest and hips. However, many people with gastritis do not have any signs and symptoms. The relationship between gastritis and a person's symptoms is not clear. The term gastritis is sometimes mistakenly used to describe any symptoms of pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen.
                
When symptoms are present, they may include
                
- upper abdominal discomfort or pain  - nausea  - vomiting
                

                
Seek Help for Symptoms of Bleeding in the Stomach   Erosive gastritis may cause ulcers or erosions in the stomach lining that can bleed. Signs and symptoms of bleeding in the stomach include   - shortness of breath   - dizziness or feeling faint   - red blood in vomit   - black, tarry stools   - red blood in the stool   - weakness   - paleness    A person with any signs or symptoms of bleeding in the stomach should call or see a health care provider right away.   More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Bleeding in the Digestive Tract.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gastritis
Question: What are the symptoms of Gastritis ?
Answer: Erosive gastritis may cause ulcers or erosions in the stomach lining that can bleed. Signs and symptoms of bleeding in the stomach include
                
- shortness of breath  - dizziness or feeling faint  - red blood in vomit  - black, tarry stools  - red blood in the stool  - weakness  - paleness
                
A person with any signs or symptoms of bleeding in the stomach should call or see a health care provider right away.
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Bleeding in the Digestive Tract.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gastritis
Question: What are the complications of Gastritis ?
Answer: The complications of chronic gastritis may include
                
- peptic ulcers. Peptic ulcers are sores involving the lining of the stomach or duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. NSAID use and H. pylori gastritis increase the chance of developing peptic ulcers.  - atrophic gastritis. Atrophic gastritis happens when chronic inflammation of the stomach lining causes the loss of the stomach lining and glands. Chronic gastritis can progress to atrophic gastritis.  - anemia. Erosive gastritis can cause chronic bleeding in the stomach, and the blood loss can lead to anemia. Anemia is a condition in which red blood cells are fewer or smaller than normal, which prevents the body's cells from getting enough oxygen. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color and enables the red blood cells to transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body. Research suggests that H. pylori gastritis and autoimmune atrophic gastritis can interfere with the body's ability to absorb iron from food, which may also cause anemia. Read more about anemia at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.  - vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia. People with autoimmune atrophic gastritis do not produce enough intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is a protein made in the stomach and helps the intestines absorb vitamin B12. The body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells and nerve cells. Poor absorption of vitamin B12 may lead to a type of anemia called pernicious anemia. Read more about pernicious anemia at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.  - growths in the stomach lining. Chronic gastritis increases the chance of developing benign, or noncancerous, and malignant, or cancerous, growths in the stomach lining. Chronic H. pylori gastritis increases the chance of developing a type of cancer called gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Read more about MALT lymphoma and gastric cancer at www.cancer.gov.
                
In most cases, acute gastritis does not lead to complications. In rare cases, acute stress gastritis can cause severe bleeding that can be life threatening.
Source: NIDDK