- Randomized
trial
- a study in which participants are assigned by
chance to one of two or more intervention arms or regimens.
Randominization minimizes the differences among groups by equally
distributing people with particular characteristics among all the
trial arms.
- Randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial
- a clinical trial in which patients have been
randomly assigned to receive either the study drug or alternative
treatment, in which neither the patient nor the physician(s)
conducting the study know which treatment is being given the
patient, and in which the alternative to the study drug is a placebo;
the study is conducted at several centers
- Range of motion (ROM)
- The ability of a joint to go through all its
normal movements. Range-of-motion exercises help increase or
maintain flexibility and movement in muscles, tendons, ligaments,
and joints.
- Rapid
Gastric Emptying (RAH-pid GAH-strik EM-tee-ying)
- See Dumping
Syndrome.
- Reagent
- any chemical used in a laboratory test or
experiment.
- Receptors
- Areas on the outer part of a cell that allow
the cell to join or bind with insulin that is in the blood. See
also: Insulin receptors; a molecule on the surface of a cell that
serves as a recognition or binding site for antigens, antibodies or
other cellular or immunologic components.
- Recombinant
DNA (re-KOM-bih-nant)
- DNA artificially constructed by insertion of
foreign DNA into the DNA of an appropriate organism (usually
bacteria or yeast) so that the foreign DNA is replicated along with
the host DNA.
- Recombinant
Hirudin
- A hirudin produced
by recombinant DNA technology.
- Rectal
Manometry (REK-tul muh-NAW-muh-tree)
- A test that uses a thin tube and balloon to
measure pressure and movements of the rectal and anal sphincter
muscles. Usually used to diagnose chronic constipation and fecal
incontinence.
- Rectal
Prolapse (REK-tul PRO-laps)
- A condition in which the rectum slips so that
it protrudes from the anus.
- Rectum (REK-tum)
- The lower end of the large intestine, leading
to the anus.
- Reflux (REE-fluks)
- A condition that occurs when gastric juices or
small amounts of food from the stomach flow back into the esophagus
and mouth. Also called regurgitation.
- Reflux
Esophagitis (REE-fluks uh-SAW-fuh-JY-tis)
- Irritation of the esophagus because stomach
contents flow back into the esophagus.
- Regurgitation
(ree-GUR-juh-TAY-shun)
- See Reflux.
- Relaxation
therapy
- People with arthritis use relaxation to release
the tension in their muscles, which relieves pain.
- Resectable (ree-SEK-tah-
bill)
- capable of being removed by surgery
- Retinopathy
- A disease of the small blood vessels in the
retina of the eye.
- Retrovirus
- a type of virus whose genetic material consists
of RNA rather than the usual DNA; HIV and other viruses that carry
their genetic material in the form of RNA rather than DNA and have
the enzyme reverse transcriptase that can transcribe it into DNA. In
most animals and plants, DNA is usually made into RNA, hence
"retro" is used to indicate the opposite direction.
- Reverse
transcriptase
- the enzyme produced by HIV and other
retroviruses that enables them to direct a cell to synthesize DNA
from their viral RNA.
- Rhabdomyolysis
- an acute, potentially fatal disease of skeletal
muscle
- Rheumatoid
arthritis
- An often chronic systemic disease that causes
inflammatory changes in the synovium, or joint lining, that result
in pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in the joints.
The disease can also affect other parts of the body.
- Rheumatologist
- A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and
treating disorders that affect the joints, muscles, tendons,
ligaments, and bones.
- Rhinitis
- inflammation of the nasal mucosa (mucous
membranes in the nasal cavities)
- Risk factor
- Anything that raises the chance that a person
will get a disease. With noninsulin-dependent diabetes, people have
a greater risk of getting the disease if they weigh a lot more (20
percent or more) than they should.
- RNA (ribonucleic
acid)
- a single-stranded molecule composed of chemical
building blocks, similar to DNA. The RNA segments in cells represent
copies of portions of the DNA sequences in the nucleus. RNA is the
sole genetic material of retroviruses.
- Rotavirus
(ROH-tuh-vy-rus)
- The most common cause of infectious diarrhea in
the United States, especially in children under age 2.
- Rupture (RUP-tchur)
- A break or tear in any organ or soft tissue.
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