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ACA
Synonymous with Anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies or Anti-
Centromere Antibodies.
aCL
anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies.
ACR-criteria
Number of characteristics listed by the American College of Rheumatology; for the diagnosis of SLE.
Addison Anaemia
Pernicious Anaemia, synonymous with Biermer disease.
AMA
Anti-Mitochondrial Antibodies; target antigen for PBC.
ANA
Anti-Nuclear Antibodies.
Anaemia
Condition in which there is a reduction of the number
of blood corpuscles or of the total amount of haemoglobin
in the blood stream.
ANCA
Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies.
Angiitis
Inflammation of the vessels.
aPL
anti-Phospholipid Antibodies.
APS
Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome. A disorder of recurrent
diseases such as thrombosis and pregnancy loss. These
diseases are associated with antibodies which are
directed against phospholipids.
primary APS
Without additional autoimmune disease.
secondary APS
With additional autoimmune disease (especially SLE).
Arthralgia
Joint pain, e.g. arthrosis.
Arthritis
Inflammation of the joints.
Arthrosis
Degenerative joint disease.
2-GP1
b2-Glycoprotein 1; synonym apolipoprotein H; cofactor
for cardiolipin.
2-Glycoprotein 1
See b2 – GP1.
Basedow Disease
Special type of hyperthyroidism. Accumulation of
proteoglycans in the retroorbital cavity; see thyroiditis;
associated with autoantibodies directed against
TG and/or TPO.
Biermer Disease
See pernicious anaemia.
BPI
Bactericidal Permeability Increasing Protein; target
antigen for ANCA.
Calcinosis cutis
Rare disorder caused by an abnormal deposit of
calcium phosphate into the skin.
C-ANCA
Cytoplasmic Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies;
associated with vasculitis.
Cataract
Description of any cloudiness of the lens of the eye
independent of its cause.
CDC
Centers for Disease Control; Institution in
Atlanta/Giorgia, USA.
Celiac disease
Enteropathy caused by an intolerance towards gluten
in food; in adults also known as sprue.
Churg-Strauss-Syndrome
Eosinophil rich and granulomatous inflammation of
the respiratory tract and necrotising vasculitis of the
small or medium sized vessels; associated with concurrent
asthma and eosinophilia.
Collagenoses
Describes a range of systemic inflammatory diseases of
the connective tissue, in which the common features
are autoimmune processes.
cP
chronic Polyarthritis; synonymous with RA.
CREST Syndrome
Form of progressive systemic sclerosis with Calcinosis
cutis, Raynaud-Phenomenon, Esophagus dysfunction,
Sclerodactyly and Teleangiectasy in the face;
Diagnosis: detection of anti-Centromere antibodies.
Crohn's disease
Chronic inflammation of any portion of the intestine,
commonly affecting the terminal ileum.
Dermatomyositis
Autoimmune disease with participation of the skin
and the musculature. Diagnosis: Detection of Jo-1
autoantibodies.
Diabetes mellitus Type I
Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), also
called juvenile diabetes; genetic predisposition to insulin
deficiency with gradual depletion of the endogenous
insulin secretion which can lead to complete insulin
deficiency.
Diabetes mellitus Type II
Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM),
mainly occurring in people of older age. Viral or autoimmune
factors are not detectable.
dsDNA
double stranded Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
ENA
Extractable Nuclear Antigens.
Enteropathy
General description of intestinal diseases.
Eosinophilia
Increase of the eosinophilic granulocytes in the blood;
caused by various diseases (e.g. allergies, parasites,
microbial infections).
GBM
Glomerular Basement Membrane; extracellular membrane
functioning as a cuticle between epithelial or
endothelial and connective tissue, consisting mainly of
collagen.
Glomerulonephritis
Type of glomerulopathy.
Glomerulopathy
Renal disease of various causes.
Goodpasture Syndrome
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with lung
haemorrhage. Diagnosis: Detection of anti-GBM antibodies.
H1, H2A, H2B, H3, H4
Histones.
Hashimoto’s Disease
Chronic inflammation of the thyroid. Diagnosis:
Detection of anti-thyroglobulin (TG) and anti-thyroid
peroxidase (TPO) antibodies.
Heart block, congenital
Innate interruption of the innervation of the heart.
Children of Anti-SS-A and/or Anti-SS-B positive
mothers at risk.
Histone
Nuclear proteins around which eucaryotic cell DNA
almost completely winds to create nucleosomes. They
wrap up the DNA sufficiently to enable all DNA to fit
into the nucleus and fulfil its different functions.
Hyperthyroidism
Overproduction of the thyroid gland; increased production
and secretion of thyroid hormones. Leads to
pathological events in the whole organism; see thyroiditis.
IgA
Immunoglobulin A; develop as an immune response
when antigens break through the mucous membrane
e.g. nose, throat, intestine. About 17% of the total
immunoglobulin is IgA class immunoglobulin.
IgD
Immunoglobulin D activates B-lymphocytes.
IgE
Immunoglobulin E; develop during an allergic reaction
and due to an immune response directed against
parasites; also known as reagin.
IgG
Immunoglobulin G; antibodies of the secondary
immune response. About 75% of all antibodies are of
the IgG type. They develop three weeks after primary
infection. Following a secondary infection of the same
type, IgG antibodies are produced rapidly in large
quantities to prevent an outbreak of the disease.
IgM
Immunoglobulin M; antibodies of primary immune
response. Production of IgM antibodies generally
ceases a few weeks after primary infection.
Ischaemia
Reduction or interruption of the blood circulation of
an organ, part of an organ or tissue due to a shortage
of arterial blood flow (e.g. thrombosis).
Jo-1
Cytoplasmic histidyl-tRNA synthetase. Associated with
poly- or dermatomyositis.
LA
Lupus-Anticoagulant. In the absence of LA, blood coagulation
is prolonged. This is due to the phospholipiddependent
disruptive effect of LA on the function of
the blood coagulation complex. This means that
patient sera with high amounts of anti-phospholipid
antibodies have a prolonged in-vitro clotting time.
M2
Proteins of the a-keto acid dehydrogenase complex
situated in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Target
antigen for PBC; see AMA.
MCTD
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease; synonym Sharp
Syndrome; Connective tissue disease with symptoms
of SLE, scleroderma, dermatomyositis and chronic
polyarthritis. Diagnosis: Detection of Sm/RNP autoantibodies.
microscopic Polyangiitis
mPA; necrotising vasculitis of small vessels (capillaries,
small veins, arterioles) with small or minimal immune
depositions in situ; partially necrotising arteriitis of
the small and medium sized vessels, associated with
asthma and eosinophilia. Diagnosis: Detection of
autoantibodies of the type C- or P-ANCA.
MPO
Myeloperoxidase; target antigen for ANCA.
MRC
Medical Research Council situated in UK.
mRNA
messenger Ribonucleic acid; single strand RNA, that is
developed while a part of the DNA is transcribed.
mRNA acts as an informational copy for protein biosynthesis.
Myositis
Inflammation of the muscle of various causes;
Diagnosis: Detection of Jo-1 autoantibodies.
Necrosis
Morphological change of a cell or tissue after cell
death.
Nucleosomes
Complexes of histones and dsDNA occurring in the cell
nucleus; target antigen e.g. with SLE.
Panartheriitis nodosa
Necrotising inflammation of the medium sized and
small arteries without glomerulonephritis or without
vasculitis of the arterioles, capillaries and small veins.
P-ANCA
Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies;
associated with vasculitis.
PBC
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis; see AMA.
Pernicious anaemia
Synonym Addison anaemia; Vitamin-B12 deficiency in
the blood. Develops due to IF (Intrinsic Factor) deficiency,
the normal carrier of vitamin B12. This could
be due to autoimmunological destruction of the
parietal cells or autoantibodies directed against the IF.
Polymyositis
Autoimmune disease with muscular manifestation.
Diagnosis: Detection of Jo-1 autoantibodies.
PR3
Proteinase 3; target antigen for ANCA.
primary APS
See APS.
PSS
Progressive Systemic Sclerosis; autoimmune disease of
the connective tissue. The connective tissue of the
blood vessels hardens, resulting in a continuous narrowing
of these vessels which may then lead to a circulatory
disturbance of the blood system. Necrosis can
follow. Detection of autoantibodies, like anti-Scl-70,
anti-Centromere or anti-U1-nRNP.
RA
Rheumatoid Arthritis; synonym cP; Polyarthritis describes
a disease that is associated with various joint
inflammations. Typically, rheumatoid arthritis presents
a symmetrically occurring joint inflammation of the
fingers. Often, rheumatoid factor can be detected,
although not in all cases. These cases are known as
“seronegative” polyarthritis in contrast to the socalled
“seropositive” polyarthritis cases, where
rheumatoid factor is detected.
Raynaud-Phenomenon
Pallor and/or cyanosis of the fingers followed by
redness on rewarming. Caused by microcirculatory
damage and prolonged local ischaemia.
RF
Rheumatoid factor describes an autoantibody in the
blood stream, directed against the Fc-part of the
human IgG. It can be detected with some types of
chronic polyarthritis (cP). However, its detection does
not prove the existence of this disease as it can also be
detected in healthy individuals. Conversely, the absence
of this factor does not exclude the existence of
chronic joint rheumatism.
Rib-P
Ribosomal Protein of the large 60 S subunit of the
ribosomal RNP complex; target antigen for SLE.
RNP
Ribonucleic Protein occurring in the cell nucleus;
target antigen also detected with SLE.
RNP-70
70 kDa subunit of the RNP complex; target antigen for
Sharp-Syndrome.
RPP
Ribosomal P-Protein; synonym Rib-P.
Schoenlein-Henoch Purpura
Vasculitis of the small vessels, e.g. capillaries, small
veins and arterioles with immune depositions in situ;
characteristically affected are the skin, gastrointestinal
tract and glomerula.
Scl-70
DNA Topoisomerase I; target antigen in patients with
progressive systemic sclerosis. A 70 kDa protein.
Sclerodactyly
Symptom of progressive systemic sclerosis with thin,
pale, hardened fingers.
Scleroderma
Autoimmune disease of the vessels and connective
tissue. Diagnosis: Detection of anti-Centromere, anti-
U1-nRNP or anti-Scl-70 autoantibodies.
Sclerosis
Pathological hardening of organs.
secondary APS
See APS.
Sharp Syndrome
Special type of MCTD. Diagnosis: Detection of autoantibodies
directed against RNP-70.
Sicca Syndrome
Drying up of the secretion of salivary, tear and
sebaceous glands due to inflammatory changes of
these glands; see Sjögren Syndrome.
Sjögren Syndrome
Autoimmune disease. Manifested as a chronic inflammatory
condition affecting salivary and tear glands
leading to dry eyes and mouth. Similar to the Sicca
syndrome. This disease can occur as a primary condition
or as a secondary disease accompanied by other
inflammatory rheumatoid diseases.
SLE
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a rheumatoid disease
assigned to the systemic inflammatory collagenoses.
Immune complexes are deposited in the whole vessel
system causing a “non-organ-specific” disease pattern.
Associated with various autoantibodies e.g. antidsDNA,
anti-SS-A, anti-Sm, anti-cardiolipin.
Sm
Smith (name of a patient); ribonucleic protein of the
cell nucleus that splices pre m-RNA; target antigen for
Nephritis-SLE.
Sprue
See celiac disease.
SS
See Sjögren Syndrome.
SS-A / Ro
Soluble Substance A or Sjögren Syndrome A or Robert-
Antigen (name of a patient). Protein complex of the
cytoplasm and nucleus, consisting of a 52 kDa and
60 kDa protein subunit; target antigen for SLE or SS.
SS-B / La
Soluble Substance B or Sjögren Syndrome B or Lane-
Antigen (name of the patient). Transcriptions termination
factor of the cell nucleus for the RNA polymerase
III; target antigen for SLE or SS.
ssDNA
single stranded Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
TG
Thyroglobulin; glycoprotein produced in the thyroid
gland; associated with thyroiditis.
Thyroiditis
Disease caused by autoantibodies directed against the
receptor of the pituitary hormone (TSH), eliciting an
overproduction of the hormone (e.g. Basedow
disease). Furthermore, cell destruction, probably due
to autoantibodies, can lead to an inhibition of the
thyroid function.
TPO
Thyroid Peroxidase; microsomal antigen; large membrane
associated glycoprotein of the thyroid gland;
associated with thyroiditis.
t-TG
tissue-Transglutaminase; target antigen for celiac
disease.
Ulcerative colitis
Fairly superficial mucosal inflammation in a continuous
area of the bowel.
Vasculitis
Synonym angiitis; description for inflammatory diseases
of the walls of blood vessels.
Wegener‘s Disease
Rare, arterial and venous generalised, necrotising
vasculitis. Diagnosis: Detection of autoantibodies
often of the C-ANCA type.
WHO
World Health Organisation.
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