apyretic tetanus
Noun: A clinical neurological syndrome characterized by involuntary muscular contractions (twitching), cramps, and, in severe cases, seizures. This condition is not associated with fever and is linked to metabolic disturbances, specifically calcium deficiency (often due to hypoparathyroidism), vitamin D deficiency, or alkalosis.
This is a highly specialized medical term used in clinical and academic contexts to describe a specific set of symptoms resulting from electrolyte imbalances. * The patient's apyretic tetanus was successfully managed with intravenous calcium and vitamin D supplementation. * A key diagnostic feature of apyretic tetanus is the absence of fever, distinguishing it from infectious causes of tetanic spasms.
The term precisely denotes a syndrome of neuromuscular hyperexcitability (tetanus) occurring without pyrexia (fever). It is primarily used in differential diagnosis. * The endocrinologist considered apyretic tetanus in the differential for the patient presenting with carpopedal spasms and a low serum calcium level.
- Tetany (n): This is a more common clinical term for the same core symptom complex of involuntary muscle spasms and cramps due to conditions like hypocalcemia. Apyretic tetanus is a specific type of tetany.
- Hypocalcemic tetany (n): A synonym that explicitly names the most common cause (low calcium).
- Latent tetany (n): Refers to a state where signs of tetany (like muscle twitching) are not spontaneously apparent but can be elicited by clinical tests.
- Tetany
- Hypocalcemic tetany
- Metabolic tetany
The term combines "apyretic" (without fever) and "tetanus" (in this context, referring to sustained muscle contraction). It is crucial not to confuse this condition with infectious tetanus caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which typically does involve fever. Apyretic tetanus is exclusively of metabolic origin.
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clinical neurological syndrome characterized by muscular twitching and cramps and (when severe) seizures; associated with calcium deficiency (hypoparathyroidism) or vitamin D deficiency or alkalosis
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