Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

C-reactive protein
An acute-phase plasma pro-
tein whose blood concentration reflects the pres-
ence and intensity of inflammation. Abbreviated
CRP. Conditions that commonly lead to marked
increases in CRP include infection, trauma, surgery,
burns, inflammatory conditions, and advanced can-
cer. Moderate changes occur after strenuous exer-
cise, heatstroke, and childbirth. Small changes
occur after psychological stress and in several psy-
chiatric illnesses. Elevated levels of CRP are associ-
ated with atherosclerosis and heart disease.
cream
A water-soluble medicinal preparation
applied to the skin. An ointment differs from a
cream in that it has an oil base, as opposed to being
water-soluble.
crepitus
A clinical sign in medicine that is char-
acterized by a peculiar crackling, crinkly, or grating
feeling or sound under the skin, around the lungs,
or in the joints. Crepitus in soft tissues is often due
to gas, most often air, that has penetrated and infil-
trated an area where it should not normally be (for
example, in the soft tissues beneath the skin).
Crepitus in a joint can indicate cartilage wear in the
joint space.
CREST syndrome
A limited form of sclero-
derma, a disease of connective tissue that involves
the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin
and sometimes also in other organs of the body.
“CREST” is an acronym for Calcinosis (the forma-
tion of tiny deposits of calcium in the skin),
Raynaud’s phenomenon (spasm of the tiny artery
vessels that supply blood to the fingers, toes, nose,
tongue, or ears), Esophagial dysmotility
(esophageal involvement by the scleroderma),
Sclerodactyly (localized thickening and tightness of
the skin of the fingers or toes), and Telangiectasias
(dilated capillaries that form tiny red areas, fre-
quently on the face and hands and in the mouth,
behind the lips).
cretinism
Congenital hypothyroidism (underac-
tivity of the thyroid gland at birth), which results in
growth retardation, developmental delay, and other
abnormal features. Cretinism can be due to defi-
ciency of iodine in the mother’s diet during preg-
nancy.