Human health and medicine

Macrobiotic diet

Macrobiotic diet: plant-based, high whole-grain, low-fat diet from George Ohsawa's philosophy, popularized by Michio Kushi. No scientific evidence supports its use against cancer; strict forms risk malnutrition.

Macrocephaly

Macrocephaly, also called megalencephaly-related head enlargement, is an occipitofrontal head circumference over 2 SD above the age and sex mean, affecting up to 5% of children, with causes ranging from benign familial macrocephaly and BESS to over 200 genetic disorders and hydrocephalus.

Macrocephaly-intellectual disability-neurodevelopmental disorder-small thorax syndrome

Macrocephaly-intellectual disability-neurodevelopmental disorder-small thorax syndrome, also called MINDS or Smith-Kingsmore syndrome, is a rare autosomal dominant MTOR gain-of-function disorder with macrocephaly, intellectual disability, seizures, and small thorax.

Macrocheilia

Macrocheilia is enlargement of one or both lips, also called lip hypertrophy or thick lips. Causes include leishmaniasis, granulomatous cheilitis, Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome, sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease, and congenital forms (ICD-10 Q18.6, ICD-11 LA53).

Macrocytic anemia

Macrocytic anemia, or megaloblastic macrocytic anemia, is anemia with enlarged red blood cells (MCV >100 fL), caused by vitamin B12 or folate deficiency (megaloblastic) or by alcohol, liver disease, hypothyroidism, drugs, or myelodysplasia (nonmegaloblastic).

Macrodactyly of toes

Macrodactyly of toes, also called macrodactyly of the foot, is a rare congenital condition present from birth in which one or more toes are enlarged.

Sep 29, 2026

Macrodissection

Macrodissection is a pathology laboratory technique in which a pathologist manually removes a marked tumor region from unstained tissue sections, enriching extracted DNA or RNA for molecular testing.

Macrophage activation syndrome

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a form of secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, is a hyperinflammatory complication of rheumatic diseases, chiefly systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and lupus, marked by cytokine storm, hyperferritinemia, cytopenias, and steroid-first treatment.

Macrophagic myofasciitis

Macrophagic myofasciitis is a rare muscle disease, first described in France in 1998, in which macrophages carrying aluminum vaccine adjuvant persist at injection sites, causing chronic pain and fatigue.

Macroscopic haematuria

Macroscopic haematuria (visible, gross, or frank haematuria) is blood in the urine seen with the naked eye, unlike microscopic haematuria. It carries higher urological cancer risk (bladder cancer 17% vs 3.3%), requiring cystoscopy and upper tract imaging, with urgent referral from age 45 under NICE.

Macrostomia

Macrostomia, the transverse or lateral facial cleft (Tessier type 7), is a rare congenital enlargement of the mouth corner from failed fusion of maxillary and mandibular processes, often syndromic, repaired by layered closure with muscle duplication and Z- or W-plasty skin closure.

Macrotia

Macrotia is an abnormally large external ear, defined by ear length and width more than 2 standard deviations above age- and sex-specific means, classified as a minor anomaly of the pinna.

Macular amyloidosis

Macular amyloidosis (macular cutaneous amyloidosis) is a rare, chronic primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis: pruritic gray-brown macules in a rippled pattern on the upper back and arms, without systemic amyloid involvement.

Macular corneal dystrophy

Macular corneal dystrophy is a rare autosomal recessive corneal disease caused by CHST6 gene mutations, in which glycosaminoglycan buildup clouds both corneas and progressively impairs vision.

Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration (AMD), also called age-related macular degeneration, is a retinal disease blurring central vision. Dry and wet types; drusen hallmark; treated with anti-VEGF injections, AREDS supplements, and GA drugs pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol.

Macular disorders

Macular disorders (ICD-11 9B75, 黄斑障害) are diseases of the macula, the retina's central vision area. They include age-related macular degeneration, macular edema, macular hole, and inherited macular dystrophies, staged by drusen size and treated with anti-VEGF drugs.

Macular edema

Macular edema is fluid accumulation in the macula, the central retina, caused by blood-retinal barrier dysfunction in diabetes, retinal vein occlusion, uveitis, and post-cataract inflammation; treated with anti-VEGF drugs, corticosteroids, and laser.

Sep 29, 2026

Macular hole surgery

Macular hole surgery is a vitreoretinal operation combining pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and gas tamponade, achieving anatomical closure in 85 to 95% of eyes.

Macular telangiectasia

Macular telangiectasia (MacTel), chiefly type 2 or perifoveal telangiectasia, is a rare bilateral retinal disease combining telangiectatic capillaries with photoreceptor and Müller cell degeneration, linked to serine and deoxysphingolipid metabolism, with Encelto approved in 2025.

Maculopapular cutaneous mastocytosis

Maculopapular cutaneous mastocytosis (urticaria pigmentosa), the commonest cutaneous mastocytosis, causes hyperpigmented mast-cell skin lesions; monomorphic in adults, polymorphic in children, often resolving by adolescence.

Maculopapular rash

Maculopapular rash (maculopapular exanthem, morbilliform eruption): acute generalized skin eruption of flat macules and raised papules, usually viral or drug-induced; drug reactions cause about 90% of cutaneous drug hypersensitivity cases.

Madelung deformity

Madelung deformity, also called Madelung's deformity, is a congenital wrist deformity from premature arrest of the volar-ulnar distal radial physis, marked by the Vickers ligament and linked to SHOX deficiency and Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis.

Madhikasava

Madhikasava (Madhūkāsava, मधूकासव) is a classical Ayurvedic fermented asava from mahua (Madhuca longifolia) flowers, honey, and herbs; dose 12–24 ml, indicated for grahani, with 5–10% self-generated alcohol.

Madhyamanarayana taila

Madhyamanarayana taila (Madhyama nārāyaṇa taila) is a classical Ayurvedic medicated oil in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI000475, 6 g dose), used for hemiplegia, lock jaw, neck stiffness, throat obstruction, and kyphosis.

MADIT-CRT trial

MADIT-CRT (NCT00180271): Boston Scientific-sponsored randomized trial of 1,820 NYHA I-II patients testing CRT-D versus ICD-only; primary endpoint HR 0.66, no mortality benefit, FDA approval extended to LBBB subgroup in 2010.

Madness and Civilization

Madness and Civilization (Folie et déraison, 1961) is Michel Foucault's history of madness in the Age of Reason, arguing confinement of the mad was social exclusion, not medicine; the English Richard Howard translation is abridged by 300 pages.

Madras motor neuron disease

Madras motor neuron disease (MMND) is a rare motor neuron disorder first described in 1970 in Chennai, India, with young onset, distal limb wasting, lower cranial nerve palsies, pyramidal signs, and sensorineural deafness; a variant adds optic atrophy.