Charcot's triad 2
Encyclopedia
Charcot's cholangitis triad is the combination of jaundice
; fever
, usually with rigors; and right upper quadrant abdominal pain
. It occurs as a result of ascending cholangitis
(an infection of the bile duct
in the liver). When the presentation also includes hypotension
and mental status changes, it is known as Reynolds' pentad
. It is named for Jean-Martin Charcot
.
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia . This hyperbilirubinemia subsequently causes increased levels of bilirubin in the extracellular fluid...
; fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
, usually with rigors; and right upper quadrant abdominal pain
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain can be one of the symptoms associated with transient disorders or serious disease. Making a definitive diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain can be difficult, because many diseases can result in this symptom. Abdominal pain is a common problem...
. It occurs as a result of ascending cholangitis
Ascending cholangitis
Ascending cholangitis or acute cholangitis is an infection of the bile duct , usually caused by bacteria ascending from its junction with the duodenum...
(an infection of the bile duct
Bile duct
A bile duct is any of a number of long tube-like structures that carry bile.Bile, required for the digestion of food, is excreted by the liver into passages that carry bile toward the hepatic duct, which joins with the cystic duct to form the common bile duct, which opens into the intestine.The...
in the liver). When the presentation also includes hypotension
Hypotension
In physiology and medicine, hypotension is abnormally low blood pressure, especially in the arteries of the systemic circulation. It is best understood as a physiologic state, rather than a disease. It is often associated with shock, though not necessarily indicative of it. Hypotension is the...
and mental status changes, it is known as Reynolds' pentad
Reynolds' pentad
Reynolds' pentad is a collection of signs and symptoms suggesting the diagnosis of septic or ascending cholangitis, a serious infection of the biliary system. It is a combination of Charcot's triad with hypotension and an altered mental state.-Eponym:It was named after the surgeon, B.M...
. It is named for Jean-Martin Charcot
Jean-Martin Charcot
Jean-Martin Charcot was a French neurologist and professor of anatomical pathology. He is known as "the founder of modern neurology" and is "associated with at least 15 medical eponyms", including Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis...
.
See also
- Charcot's neurologic triad (scanning speech, intention tremorIntention tremorIntention tremor, also known as cerebellar tremor, is a dyskinetic disorder characterized by a broad, course, and low frequency tremor. The amplitude of an intention tremor increases as an extremity approaches the endpoint of deliberate and visually guided movement...
, nystagmus) - a triad described in association with multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. - The addition of altered mental status and hypotension is called Reynolds' pentadReynolds' pentadReynolds' pentad is a collection of signs and symptoms suggesting the diagnosis of septic or ascending cholangitis, a serious infection of the biliary system. It is a combination of Charcot's triad with hypotension and an altered mental state.-Eponym:It was named after the surgeon, B.M...
.