cystinosis

1 9.9

A rare disease passed from parents where the chemical cystine builds up in body cells and harms organs

noun
/ˌsɪstəˈnoʊsɪs/

Specialized

: cistinósis

Individuals diagnosed with cystinosis often face serious health challenges due to the buildup of cystine in their organs.

Examples

The condition cystinosis causes cystine crystals to build up in every organ and tissue in the body, causing kidney failure, blindness, muscle wasting, diabetes, among many other complications.

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Cystinosis affects about 500 individuals in the United States, less than 10 in my home state of Utah.

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To shed a little light, I am the only person with cystinosis she has ever met.

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(which has been a concern for the past 9 months or so and is common in adults with cystinosis)

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Cystinosis has no cure, but incredible advancements are happening.

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Cystinosis is a rare disorder that leads to cystinosis accumulation in the body's cells, potentially damaging organs.
Managing cystinosis requires ongoing medical care to prevent organ damage from the excessive accumulation of cystine.

Surface Forms

cystinosis singular

cystinoses plural

Morphology

cystinosis = cystine (opaque) = cystin + osis

The suffix '-osis' indicates a medical condition, but the specific disorder related to cystine accumulation is not transparent to learners.

Etymology

Cystinosis comes from the substance cystine plus the medical ending -osis meaning 'condition' or 'disease', and cystine gets its name from the root cyst- meaning 'bladder' or 'sac', the same root as the word cyst. So cystinosis literally names the condition where cystine builds up in the body's cells.