Glossary

Acute Chest Syndrome

  • Acute Chest Syndrome is a potentially severe inflammatory disorder of the lung that complicates the course of many patients with sickle cell disease. It is triggered‚ in part‚ by blockage of blood vessels in the lungs following a so–called painful crisis or during a respiratory infection. The illness includes a new lung infiltrate on chest x-ray‚ as well as fever and respiratory symptoms (e.g.‚ cough‚ chest pain‚ and shortness of breath). The condition can reoccur and may cause permanent lung damage.

Acute Lung Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ALI/ARDS)

  • Acute Lung Injury (ALI) is the clinical syndrome of rapid–onset bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and severely impaired oxygenation. It is a form of severe‚ diffuse lung inflammation triggered by any of several conditions (e.g. severe trauma or infection). When the hypoxemia is severe‚ the condition is termed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Asthma

  • Asthma is a chronic disorder characterized by reversible airflow obstruction and bronchial hyper responsiveness.

Atherosclerosis

  • Atherosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries. It is caused by the slow "build-up" of plaque on the inside of walls of the arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen–rich blood from the heart to other parts of the body.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease‚ or COPD‚ refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing–related problems. It includes emphysema‚ chronic bronchitis‚ and in some cases asthma

Inflammation

  • Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. Inflammation is characterized by the following quintet: redness (rubor)‚ heat (calor)‚ swelling (tumor)‚ pain (dolor) and dysfunction of the organs involved (functio laesa).

Psoriasis

  • Psoriasis is an immune–mediated disease which affects the skin and joints. When it affects the skin it commonly appears as red scaly elevated patches called plaques. Psoriasis plaques are areas of excessive skin cell production and inflammation. Skin rapidly accumulates at these sites and sometimes takes a silvery–white appearance. Plaques frequently occur on the elbows and knees‚ but can affect any area including the scalp and genitals.

Sickle Cell Disease

  • Sickle cell disease is a severe‚ life–shortening hemoglobin disorder. Its hallmark is the deformed‚ sickle–cell shaped red blood cell that is prone to cause organ damage by occluding small blood vessels.

sPLA2

  • Phospholipases spla2 are a family of enzymes that hydrolyze fatty acids at the sn–2 position of phospholipids. Several spla2 isoenzymes have been identified in mammals. The secretory spla2s (spla2) are released into the extra cellular space. spla2s have a variety of pro–inflammatory effects. Many of these relate to their upstream position in the arachidonic acid pathway‚ which is responsible for production of leukotrienes‚ oxidants and other pro–inflammatory mediators.