EPONYMS IN THE FIELD OF MEDICINE AND PAEDIATRIC DENTAL MEDICINE IN BULGARIAN AND ENGLISH

Introduction. Eponyms have been an inseparable part of medicine ever since the science exists. The need to name diseases and conditions after the physicians who came upon them and explored them arose (e.g., Addison’s disease, Cushing syndrome etc). This method of term formation continues to be employed even nowadays and its main advantage is that it facilitates remembering the condition. The purpose of the present paper is to establish the main principles of formation of eponyms and to compare them within the Bulgarian, English and Latin terminology. Another comparison which is intended is the use of eponyms in clinical medicine and clinical paediatric dental medicine. Background and motivations. The purpose of eponyms is to name diseases and conditions and to facilitate remembering. However, there are underlying principles of term formation and usage in the different fields of medicine which need to be clarified and traced. Methodology. The main methods used are lexicographical excerption and comparative analysis. The eponyms are classified according to the manner of their formation and usage. The expected results are related to the differences in the use of eponyms in the medical terminologies of Bulgarian and English clinical setting and to compare those to their source languages- Latin and ancient Greek.

Addison’s Disease Presenting as Acute Renal Failure and Hyperkalemic Paralysis: A Rare Presentation

Hyperkalemic paralysis in the setting of acute renal failure can lead to a missed or delayed diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency as the raised potassium can be attributed to the renal failure. Acute kidney injury as the presenting manifestation in an adrenal crisis due to Addison’s disease has been rarely reported in the literature. Here, we present the case of a young 37-year-old male who came with hyperkalemic paralysis and acute renal failure needing emergent hemodialysis. He had no past medical history and no medication history. His hyponatremia, hypotension, and hyperkalemia pointed to a picture of adrenal insufficiency confirmed by undetectable serum cortisol, elevated ACTH, renin, and low aldosterone levels and imaging. Replacement steroid therapy was given, and the patient made a steady recovery. He was advised on the importance of compliance to treatment at discharge to prevent another crisis event. Acute renal failure with hyperkalemia as a presenting manifestation of Addison’s disease can be very misleading. It is especially important to be vigilant of adrenal insufficiency in such patients as the hyperkalemia is resistant to standard therapy of insulin dextrose and can precipitate fatal arrhythmia if treatment is delayed.

Not the final diagnosis: from Addison’s disease to POEMS syndrome: a case report and literature review

We report the case of a 47-year-old male patient with pigmentation of the head, face and hands, who was initially diagnosed as having primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease). Laboratory testing, imaging and physical examination revealed subclinical hypothyroidism, high circulating prolactin and oestradiol concentrations, gynaecomastia, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and weakness of both lower limbs. These findings led us to consider whether a single or multiple diseases were present in this patient. Indeed, Addison’s disease can represent one aspect of a wider systemic disease. Therefore, we performed further examinations, and found high serum M protein (5.1%) and vascular endothelial growth factor [1005.30 pg/mL (normal range 0 to 142 pg/mL)] concentrations. As a consequence, we diagnosed polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome. Consequently, when a single disease cannot fully explain the multiple symptoms and signs of one patient, clinicians should consider the possibility of the presence of a wider syndrome and undertake more detailed diagnostic testing.

Suprarenal cortical extract against adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease)

Contrary to the generally accepted view that Addison's disease develops as a result of insufficient epinephrine secretion by the adrenal medulla Rogoff and Stewart (A. MA, 1929, 11 / V) see the cause of this disease in the insufficiency of the adrenal cortex. The product interrenalin isolated from this layer, which was used by the authors on dogs with removed adrenal glands and on patients with Addison's disease, gave extremely favorable results. Interrenaline was administered intravenously to dogs, per os in humans. The authors cite 7 case histories where, after the administration of this drug, the symptoms of Addison's disease improved or disappeared: blood pressure increased, bronze color disappeared, gastrointestinal disorders stopped and weakness disappeared, etc.

21-Hydroxylase-Specific CD8+ T Cells in Autoimmune Addison’s Disease Are Restricted by HLA-A2 and HLA-C7 Molecules

ObjectivesCD8+ T cells targeting 21-hydroxylase (21OH) are presumed to play a central role in the destruction of adrenocortical cells in autoimmune Addison’s disease (AAD). Earlier reports have suggested two immunodominant CD8+ T cell epitopes within 21OH: LLNATIAEV (21OH342-350), restricted by HLA-A2, and EPLARLEL (21OH431-438), restricted by HLA-B8. We aimed to characterize polyclonal CD8+ T cell responses to the proposed epitopes in a larger patient cohort with AAD.MethodsRecombinant fluorescent HLA-peptide multimer reagents were used to quantify antigen-specific CD8+ T cells by flow cytometry. Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) Elispot and biochemical assays were used to functionally investigate the 21OH-specific T cells, and to map the exactly defined epitopes of 21OH.ResultsWe found a significantly higher frequency of HLA-A2 restricted LLNATIAEV-specific cells in patients with AAD than in controls. These cells could also be expanded in vitro in an antigen specific manner and displayed a robust antigen-specific IFNγ production. In contrast, only negligible frequencies of EPLARLEL-specific T cells were detected in both patients and controls with limited IFNγ response. However, significant IFNγ production was observed in response to a longer peptide encompassing EPLARLEL, 21OH430-447, suggesting alternative dominant epitopes. Accordingly, we discovered that the slightly offset ARLELFVVL (21OH434-442) peptide is a novel dominant epitope restricted by HLA-C7 and not by HLA-B8 as initially postulated.ConclusionWe have identified two dominant 21OH epitopes targeted by CD8+ T cells in AAD, restricted by HLA-A2 and HLA-C7, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first HLA-C7 restricted epitope described for an autoimmune disease.

Challenging Diagnosis of Addison’s Disease Presenting with Adrenal Crisis

Primary adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s disease, is a rare but potentially fatal condition resulting from the failure of the adrenal cortex to produce glucocorticoid and/or mineralocorticoid hormones. Unfortunately, the clinical manifestation of primary adrenal insufficiency is not specific and often progresses insidiously, resulting in late diagnosis, or in severe cases, life-threatening circulatory collapse. Adrenal insufficiency should be considered in patients with unexplained vascular collapse. We report the case of a woman who presented to the emergency ward with unexplainable shock that was later diagnosed as adrenal crisis due to Addison’s disease. The presence of hyperpigmentation in patients with rapid progression of adrenal insufficiency suggests the diagnosis of Addison’s disease presenting with adrenal crisis.