Glossary, Acronyms and Abbreviations

A

Anticardiolipin
Autoantibodies against Cardiolipin, these antibodies play a major role in Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome (APS). See "I've been told I must never become pregnant."
ACR
American College or Rheumatology. Institute best known for defining the diagnostic criteria of SLE.
ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act
Alk. phos.
Alkaline Phosphatase, an enzyme that can indicate bone disease, bone regeneration, liver obstruction or liver inflammation. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
ALT
Alanine amino-transferase, also called GPT. High levels can indicate liver disease or damage. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
ANA
Anti-nuclear Antibody - Autoantibodies against various cell nuclear components. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?", "I've Heard of the Lupus Criteria - What's That?", "I Have a Positive ANA but I'm Told I Don't Have Lupus", "Can a Lupus Patient have a negative ANA titer?"
ANCA
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody. A recently discovered auto-antibody that seems to be related to lupus-related vasculitis
Anti-dsDNA
An autoantibody targeted specifically at double-stranded (ds) DNA (human DNA is largely found single stranded or double stranded though other forms exist temporarily). See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Anti-LA (SSB)
A specific autoantibody which targets a special nuclear protein and is often seen in Sjögren's. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Anti-RNP
A specific autoantibody which targets a special nuclear protein (Ribonuclear protein) and is often seen in MCTD. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Anti-RO (SSA)
A specific autoantibody which is found in cases of ANA and lupus and may correlate with Sjögren's syndrome. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Anti-Sm
After patient "Smith", an autoantibody which targets a specific nuclear protein. Often found in SLE. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
APS
Anti-phospholipid syndrome a.k.a. Hughes Syndrome. A condition in which Anticardiolipins cause "sticky blood" and is characterized by strokes, transient ischemic attacks, severe headaches, memory loss and other central nervous system effects. See "I've been told I must never become pregnant."
Apthous
Characteristic of apthea or small round or oval ulcers with a grayish exudate and a red halo.
ASL
Alt.Support.Lupus a Usenet Newsgroup as opposed to a mailing list, web forum or chat group. Usenet is not part of the WWW but it can be accessed via the WWW from certain websites.
AST
Aspartate amino-transferase, also called GOT. a measurement of liver metabolism. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Autoantibody
Antibodies created by a person's immune system against their own cellular components or products rather than against foreign invaders such as viruses or bacteria.
AVN
Avascular Necrosis. The destruction of bone tissue due to  vascular starvation . In Lupus, AVN is largely due to steroid use.

B

Bilirubin
Bile pigment normally excreted in the bile. Secretion in the urine indicates obstruction of bile flow due to liver or other problems. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
BUN
Blood Urea Nitrogen. A measure of kidney health or urinary tract obstruction. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"

C

C-Reactive Protein
A method of measuring inflammation similar to the ESR. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
C3
Complement 3, one of the many components of the Complement cascade/pathway. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
C4
Complement 4, another component of the Complement cascade/pathway. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
CBC
Complete Blood Count - count of RBCs and WBCs. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
CBC with Differential
CBC which includes a breakdown of the WBCs into their various types (lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, platelets, etc.) See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
CH50
Used to detect congenital and acquired deficiencies in the complement pathway. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
CNS
Central Nervous System.
Complement Pathway
An immune response that in part is responsible for cell destruction a.k.a. "cell lysis" (especially of invading cells or infected cells) but is also involved in other immune responses. There are two basic pathways The Classic complement pathway is activated largely by IgG and IgM. The Alternate complement pathway is activated by IgG and IgA.
COX-II inhibitors
Relatively new anti-inflammatory medications (Vioxx, Celebrex) that does not cause gastro-intestinal damage as readily as other NSAIDs such as Aspirin or Naproxen
CPK
Creatine phosphokinase enzyme important in energy storage within muscle and brain tissue. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Creatine
A nitrogenous compound synthesized in the body.
Creatinine
End product of creatine metabolism, excreted in urine. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
CTD
Connective Tissue Disease. Also called collagen vascular disease and often an autoimmune disease. SLE, DLE, Sjögren's, Wegener's Granulomatosus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis are only a few of many CTDs.

D

Differentiation
Progressive diversification of cells from the stem cell (no precise function) to a specifically characterized/performing cell such as a white blood cell or a skin cell. All cells originate in such a manner. For analogy, one might consider this a sort of maturing of the cell from an embryonic state to an "adult" form. See "I've heard of a breakthrough."
DILE
Drug-Induced Lupus Erythematosus.
DLE
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
DMARD
Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug.

E-H

ESR
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. A simple blood test which measures the rate at which red blood cells sink to the bottom of a test tube. The higher the ESR, (i.e., the shorter the time required for the rbcs to settle to the bottom of the tube) the greater the amount of inflammatory components present in the plasma causing the rbcs. Plasma proteins, especially fibrinogen, tend to adhere to the red cell membrane and neutralize the surface charges and make the cells more likely to aggregate, forming stacks. The stacked cells fall out from the plasma more readily than single cells do. Not diagnostic and not always a good measure of how much inflammation is actually occurring. An ESR can be elevated to due everything from a bad virus to cancer. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
FMS
Fibroymyalgia Syndrome or Fibrositis. inflammation of the white fibrous tissue of the body, especially of the muscle sheaths. It is marked by pain and stiffness and specific "trigger points" that hurt upon physical examination.
Free T4
A measure of "unbound" T4, that is supposedly more readily accessible for conversion to T3. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
GGT
Gamma glutamyl transferase. another liver enzyme. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Human Stem Cell Transplant - HSCT
A procedure in which the patient's (autologous) stem cells are harvested and preserved, the patient's immune system then destroyed chemically, and the stem cells finally re-introduced in to the patient. See

I-K

Ig
Immunoglobulin. "Any of the structurally related glycoproteins ('carbohydrate-protein') that function as antibodies on the basis if structure and biologic activity." (Dorland's Medical Dictionary)
IgA
Immunoglobulin A. predominant Ig in external secretions. plays an important role in the initial immune response to foreign invaders in the mucous membranes (in part by activating the alternate complement pathway). See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
IgG
Most abundant Ig with four subclasses in humans that perform different functions one of which is complement pathway activation (both classic and alternate pathways). See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
IgM
Immunoglobulin M. First Ig class produced in a primary response to an antigen. Activates the classic complement pathway. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"

L

Leukopenia
Below-normal levels of white blood cells
LFA
Lupus Foundation of America
Lymphocytopenia
Below normal levels of the specific white blood cells, the T-cells and the B-cells.

M

MCTD
Mixed connective Tissue Disease: Characterized by overlapping symptoms of SLE, Scleroderma and polymyositis and dermatomyositis
MS
Multiple Sclerosis
Myositis
Muscle inflammation

P

Pleuritis
Inflammation of the pleura - membranes that line the lungs and the thoracic cavity
PT
Prothrombin Time. increased in liver disease, Vitamin K deficiency, circulating anticoagulant present. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
PTT
Partial Thromboplastin Time. Prolonged clotting time may indicate deficiency or lack of coagulation factors I, II, IV VII-XII. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"

R

RA
Rheumatoid Arthritis
RBC
Red Blood cell
RF
Rheumatoid Factor. Antibodies against a specific region of IgG. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"

S

Scleroderma
An autoimmune disease which largely attacks elastin (an important protein in connective tissue that allows for elasticity of muscles and skin). Scleroderma can attack potentially every part of the body and is noted for its outward effects on the skin.
Sjögren's Syndrome
An autoimmune syndrome characterized by immune attacks on secreting organs such as the salivary glands, tear ducts, gastro-intestinal lining and vaginal lining.
SLE
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
SMAC
Blood chemistry panel including measurements of sodium, potassium, chloride, creatinine, BUN, glucose, uric acid, bilirubin, alk. phos. and many others. Panels vary based on lab used to measure.
SSDI
Social Security Disability Insurance?
SSI
Social Security Income
Stem Cell
Stem cells are cells that have not differentiated (turned into) cells with a specific function. Stem cells can be manipulated by environment to differentiate into liver cells, blood cells, brain cells and so on. Stem cells are potentially useful in treating many diseases.

T

T3
Triiodothyronine - a thyroid hormone - thought to be the tissue active form of thyroid hormone. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
T4
Thyroxine. Major thyroid hormone secreted by the thyroid gland. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"
Thrombocytopenia
Below-normal levels of platelets which are part of the clotting process
TSH
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone: Hormone secreted by the Pituitary gland which controls thyroid function. Excess TSH indicates that the thyroid gland is not creating enough T4 or that the T4 created is not accessible to the body cells and therefore requires more stimulation from TSH. This is only part of the thyroid picture however and neither T3, T4 nor TSH levels alone can paint a clear picture of thyroid function. See "How is Lupus Diagnosed?"

U - Z

UCTD
Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease. This term is often applied to patients that have symptoms of Lupus or a similar connective tissue disease but do not meet enough of the ACR's criteria for diagnosis or do not have sufficient lab results for other diagnosis.
VDRL
Venereal Disease Research Laboratory. a standard test for syphilis that often presents as a false positive in SLE patients. See "I've heard of Lupus Criteria - what's that?"
WBC
White blood cells. Includes lymphocytes (T-Cells, B-Cells), neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, macrophages, mast cells. Often platelets (thrombocytes) are included in this category.
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