syndromie

A syndrome is a set of medical signs and symptoms that consistently occur together and characterize a particular medical condition or clinical presentation. The concept emphasizes pattern recognition rather than a single proven cause. The term comes from the Greek sundromos, meaning running together.

Syndromes can arise from a single underlying disease, from multiple different causes, or from a shared pathophysiological process. Some syndromes have well-defined etiologies (for example, Down syndrome, a genetic condition caused by trisomy 21), while others describe a cluster of features for which the exact cause is not yet known. Diagnostic criteria or case definitions may be used to identify a syndrome in clinical practice or research.

A key distinction is that a syndrome is not a diagnosis in itself; rather, it is a descriptive label for a recognizable constellation of findings. Over time, a syndrome may be redefined, renamed, or reclassified as new evidence emerges. In some fields, syndromes are used for risk profiling and management plans (for example, metabolic syndrome).

Common examples include Down syndrome (genetic syndrome), metabolic syndrome (a cluster of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors), carpal tunnel syndrome (compression of the median nerve), and Tourette syndrome (a tic disorder). Some eponymous syndromes reflect characteristic patterns of symptoms rather than a single organ disease, illustrating how the concept serves both clinical recognition and research orientation.