sarnsrun/medquadmini huggingface dataset:
Question:
Who is at risk for National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report)? ?

Answer:
No one can say what an individual person's risk is. Of the approximately 7,700 people who received NHPP pituitary hGH, 29 people got CJD. The two things that seem to be connected with getting CJD after pituitary hGH treatment are
                
1. How long a person was treated:
                
- In the United States, the average length of time for pituitary hGH treatment through the NHPP was about 3 years. For those individuals who developed CJD, the average length of treatment was about 8.4 years.  - Even though longer treatment time increased the risk for CJD in the United States, in other countries CJD has developed after shorter treatment periods.
                
2. When a person was treated:
                
- All of the 29 individuals treated with NHPP hGH who got CJD in the United States started pituitary hGH before 1977. No CJD has been reported in Americans who began treatment with NHPP hormone after 1977, when production of NHPP hormone was moved to a laboratory (headed by Dr. Albert Parlow) that used a new method of purifying pituitary hGH. Research in animals showed the newer purification steps introduced in 1977 reduced the risk of CJD transmission. Recently, an analysis of NHPP hGH recipients was completed taking into account the differences in follow-up time and the duration of treatment of recipients starting treatment before or after 1977. That analysis found that the new purification steps greatly reduced and may have eliminated the risk for CJD infection.  - Two cases of CJD have been reported in individuals who received commercially prepared pituitary hGH. An Austrian person was treated with pituitary hGH (Crescormon, from Kabi Pharma) for 14 months and died from CJD 22 years later. An American who was too tall to be eligible for NHPP hormone was treated with pituitary hGH made by two pharmaceutical companies (Asellacrin, from Serono, and Crescormon, from Kabi Pharma). This individual was treated with commercial hGH for 23 months and died just over 26 years later. The methods used to produce these commercial hormone preparations were not identical to the method used in Dr. Parlow's laboratory but did include a version of the important new purification step that has been shown to reduce CJD infectivity.  - Overall, one out of about 265 people (29 out of about 7,700 people) who were treated with NHPP pituitary hGH got CJD.  - However, one in about 91 people who began treatment before 1977 got CJD.  - People who started treatment before 1970 are at even higher risk. In that early group, one in about every 48 people (about 2.1 percent) got CJD.  - The appearance of new cases is decreasing, as there has only been one new case in the past 5 years.
Question:
What are the treatments for National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report) ?

Answer:
The best source for details on your treatment is the doctor or center that gave you pituitary hGH. To protect patient privacy, the HHS did not ask for the names of those treated with pituitary hGH until 1985, when the first CJD cases were reported. In 1985, the HHS asked doctors and treatment centers for the names and addresses of recipients to inform them of the risk of CJD.
                
We know which pituitary hGH preparations were sent to each treatment center and when they were sent. However, because individual doctors administered the pituitary hGH, we don't know which preparation each person might have gotten. We have tried to find this information in the medical records of patients who developed CJD, but many doctors did not note the specific preparation in their records. When records were incomplete, it was assumed that patients who got CJD might have been exposed to all preparations sent to their treatment center during the time they were treated. Since it is impossible to confidently identify high-risk or risk-free hormone, we do not think that details on the hormone preparations that individuals received will help to clarify individual level of risk.
Question:
What causes National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report) ?

Answer:
We have not found any particular preparation of pituitary hGH that is especially likely to carry CJD. We believe that CJD did not come from a single infected pituitary gland or preparation. Prior to 1977, in an effort to extract as much hormone as possible from the pituitary glands, the glands were often processed repeatedly. Hormone extracted from the same pituitaries was often included in many hormone preparations. Also, patients who got CJD were treated on average for 8.4 years and received many different hormone preparations. This makes it very difficult to identify any preparation associated with transmitting CJD.
                
Doctors wanted to see if a specific preparation of pituitary hGH could transmit CJD. To try to find the pituitary hGH that could have caused CJD, HHS researchers did two things:
                
1. They set up a test in animals, injecting samples of all available preparations of pituitary hGH directly into the brains of monkeys. CJD develops more rapidly if injected into the brain than under the skin, as hGH was used in people. The animals were watched for 10 years. The brains of all animals were examined for signs of CJD. If an animal got sick with CJD, it would help researchers to understand which vials of pituitary hGH were contaminated with the agent that causes CJD.
                
2. They studied people treated with pituitary hGH to see who got CJD and which hormone preparation they might have received based on which preparations were sent to their doctor.
                
Results:
                
- The animal tests did not help find the pituitary hGH that might have caused CJD. One animal developed the disease 5 years after injection of pituitary hGH. Two other animals that received injections from different vials of the same pituitary hGH preparation did not develop CJD.  - None of the people who developed CJD are known to have received the hormone preparation that made the animal sick. At most, two patients (whose records are incomplete) may have received this pituitary hGH preparation. Because of this, we do not believe that the patients who received the hormone preparation that transmitted CJD to the animal have a greater risk of developing CJD than others treated with pituitary hGH. Because each preparation of pituitary hGH was used to fill multiple vials, it is not known if CJD contamination was spread evenly among all vials of pituitary hGH that came from a particular preparation. It's possible that one vial got more contamination and another got little or none from the same preparation of pituitary hGH. It is believed that multiple preparations of pituitary hGH probably had very low levels of the CJD infectious agent. With such low levels of contamination, some vials of a preparation might carry CJD while other vials would not. Further, most of the people who got CJD received pituitary hGH for long periods of time and received many different preparations.
Question:
How to diagnose National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report) ?

Answer:
CJD is usually diagnosed based on signs and symptoms of the illness, how severe they are, and how quickly they become worse. However, doctors must study brain tissue from a biopsy or autopsy in order to make a definite diagnosis of CJD.
                
Other tests can suggest CJD. In 1996, researchers developed a test that helps doctors diagnose CJD in patients with symptoms. This test detects an abnormal protein in a sample of spinal fluid. When this protein is found, it helps make a diagnosis of CJD. It is much easier and safer to take a sample of spinal fluid than to do a brain biopsy. Unfortunately, this test cannot identify CJD in patients who do not have symptoms. The test cannot predict who may develop CJD in the future.
                
Researchers from many countries, including the United States, have reported success using MRI to diagnose CJD and vCJD in people with symptoms of the disease. MRI is a safe and painless tool that allows doctors to look at images of the brain and does not involve the collection of brain or spinal fluid samples.
Question:
what research (or clinical trials) is being done for National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report) ?

Answer:
Although CJD is a rare disorder, some of the world's leading researchers are working hard to learn more about this disease.
                
About 10 percent of the people who get CJD have the inherited type. Some people have gotten CJD from medical procedures such as pituitary hGH injections, tissue grafts, or corneal transplants. Scientists don't fully understand what causes CJD. Evidence suggests that a unique infectious agent called a prion [PREE-on] may be the cause. A prion is an unusual infectious agent because it contains no genetic material. It is a protein that takes on different forms. In its normal, harmless form, the protein is curled into a spiral. In its infectious form, the protein folds into an abnormal shape. Somehow, these abnormal proteins change the shape of normal proteins. This change begins a serious chain reaction that results in brain problems.
                
People with inherited CJD have an abnormal gene that leads to changes in their prion protein. This gene makes the protein likely to assume the abnormal shape. Exposure to the abnormal form of the protein can also occur through injection of contaminated pituitary hGH, tissue grafts, and corneal transplants and through exposures to infected brain tissue.
                
If CJD results from a defect in protein folding, it may be possible to identify drugs that can help the prion protein assume its proper shape. Such drugs would slow or stop the progress of the disease. Treatments like these are being studied by researchers. Researchers in both Europe and the United States are also trying to develop a test that will identify CJD before symptoms appear.
                
More information and medical journal articles about CJD and growth hormone therapy can be found on the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service web page Human Growth Hormone and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Resource List.
Question:
What are the treatments for National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report) ?

Answer:
Some parents did not tell their children about receiving treatment with pituitary hGH and the possible risk of CJD. These children are now adults. Although the HHS no longer sends annual information about the problem of CJD in pituitary hGH recipients, the HHS does maintain a mailing list should any important new information become available. If parents are no longer available to receive HHS mailings, their adult children may not have access to important new information. Some pituitary hGH recipients have learned about the risk of CJD from newspaper stories. Others heard about it when they tried to give blood. Those who were not told by their parents are often angry when they hear about it outside the family. Any parent of an individual who received pituitary hGH who has not received any mailings from the HHSthe last correspondence was sent in June 1999should contact the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) with the adult child's current address. Knowledgeable staff members are glad to answer any questions that parents or recipients may have.
Question:
What is (are) National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP): Information for People Treated with Pituitary Human Growth Hormone (Comprehensive Report) ?

Answer:
The Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation, Inc. (www.cjdfoundation.org) was created in 1993 by two families who lost relatives to CJD and the neurologist who treated their family members. This nonprofit corporation seeks to promote awareness of CJD through research and education and to reach out to people who have lost loved ones to this illness. For information on CJD from the NIH, see www.ninds.nih.gov.
                
The Human Growth Foundation (HGF) (www.hgfound.org) is a nonprofit organization concerned with children's growth disorders and adult GH deficiency. The HGF has information available online and through its toll-free number, 18004516434. The HGF also supports an Internet mailing list to help the exchange of information about adult GH deficiency and adult GH replacement therapy.
Question:
What is (are) High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease ?

Answer:
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls as the heart pumps out blood, and high blood pressure, also called hypertension, is an increase in the amount of force that blood places on blood vessels as it moves through the body. Factors that can increase this force include higher blood volume due to extra fluid in the blood and blood vessels that are narrow, stiff, or clogged.
                
Blood pressure test results are written with two numbers separated by a slash. For example, a health care provider will write a blood pressure result as 120/80. A health care provider will say this blood pressure result as 120 over 80. The top number is called the systolic pressure and represents the pressure as the heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels. The bottom number is called the diastolic pressure and represents the pressure as blood vessels relax between heartbeats.
                
Most people without chronic health conditions have a normal blood pressure if it stays below 120/80. Prehypertension is a systolic pressure of 120 to 139 or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89. High blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure of 90 or above.1
                
People should talk with their health care provider about their individual blood pressure goals and how often they should have their blood pressure checked.
Question:
What is (are) High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease ?

Answer:
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. Every day, the two kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood to produce about 1 to 2 quarts of urine, composed of wastes and extra fluid. The urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The bladder stores urine. When the bladder empties, urine flows out of the body through a tube called the urethra, located at the bottom of the bladder. In men the urethra is long, while in women it is short.
                
Kidneys work at the microscopic level. The kidney is not one large filter. Each kidney is made up of about a million filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron filters a small amount of blood. The nephron includes a filter, called the glomerulus, and a tubule. The nephrons work through a two-step process. The glomerulus lets fluid and waste products pass through it; however, it prevents blood cells and large molecules, mostly proteins, from passing. The filtered fluid then passes through the tubule, which sends needed minerals back to the bloodstream and removes wastes. The final product becomes urine.
Question:
What are the symptoms of High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease ?

Answer:
Most people with high blood pressure do not have symptoms. In rare cases, high blood pressure can cause headaches.
                
Kidney disease also does not have symptoms in the early stages. A person may have swelling called edema, which happens when the kidneys cannot get rid of extra fluid and salt. Edema can occur in the legs, feet, or ankles and less often in the hands or face. Once kidney function decreases further, symptoms can include
                
- appetite loss  - nausea  - vomiting  - drowsiness or feeling tired  - trouble concentrating  - sleep problems  - increased or decreased urination  - generalized itching or numbness  - dry skin  - headaches  - weight loss  - darkened skin  - muscle cramps  - shortness of breath  - chest pain
Question:
How to diagnose High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease ?

Answer:
A health care provider diagnoses high blood pressure when multiple blood pressure testsoften repeated over several visits to a health care providers officeshow that a systolic blood pressure is consistently above 140 or a diastolic blood pressure is consistently above 90. Health care providers measure blood pressure with a blood pressure cuff. People can also buy blood pressure cuffs at discount chain stores and drugstores to monitor their blood pressure at home.
                
Kidney disease is diagnosed with urine and blood tests.
                
Urine Tests
                
Dipstick test for albumin. A dipstick test performed on a urine sample can detect the presence of albumin in the urine. Albumin is a protein in the blood that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged. A patient collects the urine sample in a special container in a health care providers office or a commercial facility. The office or facility tests the sample onsite or sends it to a lab for analysis. For the test, a nurse or technician places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. Patches on the dipstick change color when blood or protein is present in urine.
                
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. A health care provider uses the albumin and creatinine measurement to determine the ratio between the albumin and creatinine in the urine. Creatinine is a waste product in the blood that is filtered in the kidneys and excreted in the urine. A urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio above 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease.
                
Blood Test
                
A blood test involves having blood drawn at a health care providers office or a commercial facility and sending the sample to a lab for analysis. A health care provider may order a blood test to estimate how much blood the kidneys filter each minute, called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The results of the test indicate the following:
                
- eGFR of 60 or above is in the normal range  - eGFR below 60 may indicate kidney damage  - eGFR of 15 or below may indicate kidney failure
                

                
Get Screened for Kidney Disease   Kidney disease, when found early, can be treated to prevent more serious disease and other complications. The National Kidney Foundation recommends people with high blood pressure receive the following regular screenings:   - blood pressure tests   - urine albumin   - eGFR    Health care providers will help determine how often people with high blood pressure should be screened.
Question:
How to prevent High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease ?

Answer:
The best way to slow or prevent kidney disease from high blood pressure is to take steps to lower blood pressure. These steps include a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, such as
                
- healthy eating  - physical activity  - maintaining a healthy weight  - quitting smoking  - managing stress
                
No matter what the cause of the kidney disease, high blood pressure can increase damage to the kidneys. People with kidney disease should keep their blood pressure below 140/90.4
                
Medication
                
Medications that lower blood pressure can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease. Two types of blood pressure-lowering medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), have been shown effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease. Many people require two or more medications to control their blood pressure. In addition to an ACE inhibitor or an ARB, a health care provider may prescribe a diuretica medication that helps the kidneys remove fluid from the blood. A person may also need beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other blood pressure medications.
Question:
What to do for High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease ?

Answer:
- Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls as the heart pumps out blood, and high blood pressure, also called hypertension, is an increase in the amount of force that blood places on blood vessels as it moves through the body.  - High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the kidneys, reducing their ability to work properly. When the force of blood flow is high, blood vessels stretch so blood flows more easily. Eventually, this stretching scars and weakens blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the kidneys.  - High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States after diabetes.  - A health care provider diagnoses high blood pressure when multiple blood pressure testsoften repeated over several visits to a health care providers officeshow that a systolic blood pressure is consistently above 140 or a diastolic blood pressure is consistently above 90.  - Kidney disease is diagnosed with urine and blood tests.  - The best way to slow or prevent kidney damage from high blood pressure is to take steps to lower blood pressure. These steps include a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, such as      - healthy eating    - physical activity    - maintaining a healthy weight    - quitting smoking    - managing stress    - No matter what the cause of the kidney disease, high blood pressure can increase damage to the kidneys. People with kidney disease should keep their blood pressure below 140/90.
Question:
What is (are) Goodpasture Syndrome ?

Answer:
Goodpasture syndrome is a pulmonary-renal syndrome, which is a group of acute illnesses involving the kidneys and lungs. Goodpasture syndrome includes all of the following conditions:
                
- glomerulonephritisinflammation of the glomeruli, which are tiny clusters of looping blood vessels in the kidneys that help filter wastes and extra water from the blood  - the presence of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies; the GBM is part of the glomeruli and is composed of collagen and other proteins  - bleeding in the lungs
                
In Goodpasture syndrome, immune cells produce antibodies against a specific region of collagen. The antibodies attack the collagen in the lungs and kidneys.
                
Ernest Goodpasture first described the syndrome during the influenza pandemic of 1919 when he reported on a patient who died from bleeding in the lungs and kidney failure. Diagnostic tools to confirm Goodpasture syndrome were not available at that time, so it is not known whether the patient had true Goodpasture syndrome or vasculitis. Vasculitis is an autoimmune conditiona disorder in which the bodys immune system attacks the bodys own cells and organsthat involves inflammation in the blood vessels and can cause similar lung and kidney problems.
                
Goodpasture syndrome is sometimes called anti-GBM disease. However, anti-GBM disease is only one cause of pulmonary-renal syndromes, including Goodpasture syndrome.
                
Goodpasture syndrome is fatal unless quickly diagnosed and treated.
Question:
What causes Goodpasture Syndrome ?

Answer:
The causes of Goodpasture syndrome are not fully understood. People who smoke or use hair dyes appear to be at increased risk for this condition. Exposure to hydrocarbon fumes, metallic dust, and certain drugs, such as cocaine, may also raise a persons risk. Genetics may also play a part, as a small number of cases have been reported in more than one family member.