Schmidt's syndrome

views updated

Schmidt's syndrome (sh'mitz) n. the autoimmune destruction of the thyroid, the adrenals, and the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, causing type 1 diabetes mellitus. It is often associated with failure of the ovaries (causing an early menopause), the parathyroids, and the parietal cells of the gastric glands (causing pernicious anaemia). [ M. B. Schmidt (1863–1949), German physician]

More From encyclopedia.com