Sequela

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A sequela, (pronounced /sɨˈkwiːlə/, plural sequelæ) is a pathological condition resulting from a disease, injury, or other trauma.

Chronic kidney disease, for example, is sometimes a sequela of a food-borne illness. Post-traumatic stress disorder may be a psychological sequela of rape. Sequelae of traumatic brain injury include headache and dizziness, anxiety, apathy, depression, aggression, cognitive impairments, personality changes, mania, psychosis. These may also result from ECT (electroconvulsive therapy).

Typically, a sequela is a chronic condition that is a complication of an acute condition that begins during the acute condition. This is in contrast to a late effect.

There are also sequelae which occur as a result of treatment for a disease. For instance, one sequela resulting from chemotherapy used to treat cancer may be "toxic peripheral neuropathy," a painful chronic condition which is usually controlled with medication. Not everyone who is treated with chemotherapy develops toxic peripheral neuropathy but it may occur when a bacterium has effected a biothermic rhythmatic condition such as coronary heart disease.

Some conditions may be diagnosed retrospectively from their sequelae. An example is pleurisy.

[edit] External links

• Sequela definition and general information

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