A&E: accident & emergency
Ab : antibody
ABGs : arterial blood gases
ACD: anaemia of chronic disease
ACE : angiotensin converting enzyme
ACh : acetylcholine
ACL : anticardiolipin antibody
ACR : acetylcholine receptor
ACS : acute coronary syndrome
ADA: American Diabetes Association
ADH: antidiuretic hormone
ADP : adenosine 5-diphosphate
AECG: ambulatory ECG
AF :: atrial fibrillation
Ag : antigen
AIDS : acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
AIHA :: autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
AKA : alcoholic ketoacidosis
ALL :: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
ALP :: alkaline phosphatase
ALT:: alanine aminotransferase
AMI :: acute myocardial infarction
AML : acute myeloid leukaemia
ANA: antinuclear antibodies
ANAE :: alpha naphthyl acetate esterase
ANCA : antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody
ANF : antinuclear factor
APCR : activated protein C resistance
APL : antiphospholipid antibody
APML : acute promyelocytic leukaemia
APS: antiphospholipid syndrome
APTR : activated partial thromboplastin time ratio
APTT : activated partial thromboplastin time
ARF : acute renal failure
AT (ATIII) : antithrombin III
ATLL : adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma
ATP : adenosine triphosphate
AXR: abdominal x-ray
BBB : blood–brain barrier
B-CLL: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
BJP: Bence-Jones protein
BM: bone marrow
BMJ: British Medical Journal
BMT: bone marrow transplant
BP: blood pressure
C1 INH : C1 esterase inhibitor
C3Nef : complement C3 nephritic factor
Ca :: carcinoma
Ca2+: calcium
CABG: coronary artery bypass graft
CAH: congenital adrenal hyperplasia
cALL: common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
CBC: complete blood count)
CCF: congestive cardiac failure
CCK: cholecystokinin
cDNA: complementary DNA
CEA: carcinoembryonic antigen
CF: cystic fibrosis or complement fixation
CHD: coronary heart disease
CJD: Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease)
CK: creatine kinase
CL: – chloride
CLL: chronic lymphocytic (‘lymphatic’) leukaemia
CML: chronic myeloid leukaemia
CMML: chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia
CMV: cytomegalovirus
CNS: central nervous system
CO2: carbon dioxide
COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPAP: continuous positive airways pressure
CREST: calcinosis, Raynaud’s syndrome, (o)esophageal motility
dysfunction, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia
CRF: chronic renal failure
CRP: C-reactive protein
CSF: cerebrospinal fluid
CT: computed tomography
CVA: cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
CVD: cardiovascular disease
CXR: chest x-ray
DAT: direct antiglobulin test
dATP: deoxy ATP
DCT: direct Coombs’ test
DDAVP: desamino D-arginyl vasopressin
DIC: disseminated intravascular coagulation
DIDMOAD: diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and
deafness
DKA: diabetic ketoacidosis
DTT: dilute thromboplastin time
DU: duodenal ulcer
DVT: deep vein thrombosis
EBV: Epstein-Barr virus
ECG: electrocardiograph
EDH: extradural haemorrhage
EDTA: ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid
EEG: electroencephalogram
ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
EMG : electromyogram
ERCP: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESRD: end-stage renal disease
ET: essential thrombocythaemia
FAB: French–American–British
FACS: fluorescence-activated cell sorter
Fe: iron
FeSO4 ferrous sulphate
FIX: factor IX
fL: femtolitres
FMRI: functional MRI
FOB: faecal occult blood
FPG: fasting plasma glucose
FUO: fever of unknown origin (like PUO)
G : gram
GAD: glutamic acid decarboxylase
GT : -glutamyl transpeptidase
GBM: glomerular basement membrane
GIT: gastrointestinal tract
GPC: gastric parietal cell
G6PD: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
GPI: general paralysis of the insane
GTN: glyceryl trinitrate
GU: gastric ulcer
GvHD: graft versus host disease
H: hour
HAV: hepatitis A virus
Hb: haemoglobin
HbA: haemoglobin A )
HbA1: haemoglobin A1
HbA2: haemoglobin A2 )
HbF: haemoglobin F (fetal Hb,
HBsAg: hepatitis B surface antigen
HBV: hepatitis B virus
Hcg: human chorionic gonadotrophin
Hct: haematocrit
HCV hepatitis: C virus
HDN: haemolytic disease of the newborn
HE: hereditary elliptocytosis
HELLP: haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet
count
HIV: human immunodeficiency virus
HLA: human leucocyte antigen
HNA: heparin neutralising activity
HONK: hyperosmolar non-ketotic syndrome
HPA: human platelet antigen
HPFH: hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin
HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography
HPOA : hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy
HPP: hereditary pyropoikilocytosis
HTLV: human T-lymphotropic virus
IAGT or IAT : indirect antiglobulin test
IBS: irritable bowel syndrome
ICA: islet cell antibodies
ICH: intracranial haemorrhage
IDA: iron deficiency anaemia
IDDM: insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus
IEF: isoelectric focusing
IFG: impaired fasting glucose
IGT : impaired glucose tolerance
IHD: ischaemic heart disease
Ig: immunoglobulin
IgA: immunoglobulin A
IgD : immunoglobulin D
IgE: immunoglobulin E
IgG: immunoglobulin G
IgM: immunoglobulin M
IIF: indirect immunofluorescence
IM: intramuscular
INR: international normalized ratio
ITP: idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
ITU: intensive therapy unit
IV: intravenous
IVU: intravenous urogram
JCA: juvenile chronic arthritis
JVP: jugular venous pressure
K+: potassium
KCCT: kaolin cephalin clotting time ( )
kDa: kiloDaltons
kg: kilogram
KUB: kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)
L: litre or left
LAP: leucocyte alkaline phosphatase (score)
LBBB: left bundle branch block
LCM: left costal margin
LDH: lactate dehydrogenase
LFTs: liver function tests
LIF: left iliac fossa
LUQ: left upper quadrant
LVF: left ventricular failure
LVH: left ventricular hypertrophy
MAG: myelin-associated glycoprotein
MAIPA: monoclonal antibody immobilisation of platelet antigens
MAOI : monoamine oxidase inhibitor
MC&S: microscopy, culture & sensitivity
MCH: mean cell haemoglobin
MCHC: mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration
MCV: mean cell volume
MDS: myelodysplastic syndrome
MELAS: myelopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and strokelike
episodes
MGUS : monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
MHC: major histocompatibility complex
MI: myocardial infarction
Min: minutes
MoAb: monoclonal antibody
MODY: maturity onset diabetes of the young
MPD: myeloproliferative disease
MPV: mean platelet volume
MRI : magnetic resonance imaging
mRNA: messenger ribonucleic acid
MS : multiple sclerosis or mass spectroscopy
MSU: mid-stream urine
MTP: metatarsophalangeal
Na+: sodium
NaCl: sodium chloride
NADP: nicotinamide adenine diphosphate
NADPH: nicotinamide adenine diphosphate (reduced)
NAP: neutrophil alkaline phosphatase
NH3: ammonia
NHL: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
NRBC: nucleated red blood cells
NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NSTEMI : non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction
OA : osteoarthritis
OCP: oral contraceptive pill
OGD: oesophagogastroduodenoscopy
OGTT: oral glucose tolerance test
PACWP; pulmonary artery capillary wedge pressure
PAD: peripheral arterial disease
PAN: polyarteritis nodosa
PaO2: partial pressure of O2 in arterial blood
PAS: periodic acid-Schiff
PB: peripheral blood
PBC : primary biliary cirrhosis
PC: protein C or provocation concentration
PCH: paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria
PCI: percutaneous coronary intervention
PCL: plasma cell leukaemia
PCP: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
PCR: polymerase chain reaction
PCV: packed cell volume
PDA: patent ductus arteriosus
PE: pulmonary embolism
PEFR: peak expiratory flow rate
PET: positron emission tomography
Ph : Philadelphia chromosome
PIFT: platelet immunofluorescence test
PK: pyruvate kinase
PR: per rectum
PRL: prolactin
PRV: polycythaemia rubra vera
PS:: protein S or Parkinson’s syndrome
PSA: prostate-specific antigen
PT: prothrombin time
PV: plasma volume
PVD: Peripheral Vascular Disease
RA: refractory anaemia or rheumatoid arthritis
RAS: renal angiotensin system or renal artery stenosis
RBBB: right bundle branch block
RBCs: red blood cells
RCC: red blood cell count
RDW: red cell distribution width
Rh: Rhesus
RhF: rheumatoid factor
RIA: radioimmunoassay
RiCoF: ristocetin cofactor
RIF: right iliac fossa
RIPA: ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation
RNP: ribonucleoprotein
RPGN: rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
RT-PCR: reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
RUQ: right upper quadrant
s : seconds
SAECG: signal-averaged ECG
SAH: subarachnoid haemorrhage
SC: subcutaneous
SCA: sickle cell anaemia
SCD: sickle cell disease
SDH: subdural haemorrhage
SHBG: sex-hormone-binding globulin
SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus
SmIg: surface membrane immunoglobulin
SOB: short of breath
SOL: space-occupying lesion
SM: smooth muscle
SPECT: single photon emission computed tomography
SVC : superior vena cava
SVCO: superior vena caval obstruction
SXR: skull x-ray
T°: temperature
t1/2: half-life
T4: thyroxine
TA: temporal arteritis
TB: tuberculosis
TdT: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
TENS: transcutaneous nerve stimulation
TFT: thyroid function test
TIAs: transient ischaemic attacks
TIBC: total iron binding capacity
TN: trigeminal neuralgia
TNF: tumour necrosis factor
TOE: transoesophageal echocardiogram
TPA: tissue plasminogen activator
TPO: thyroid peroxidase
TRAB: thyrotropin receptor antibodies
TRALI: transfusion-associated lung injury
TRAP: tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase
TSH : thyroid-stimulating hormone
TT: thrombin time
TTE: transthoracic echocardiography
TTP: thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
TXA: tranexamic acid
u/U: units
UC: ulcerative colitis
U&E: urea and electrolytes
UKPDS: United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study
URTI: upper respiratory tract infection
UTI: urinary tract infection
USS: ultrasound scan
VIII:C factor VIII clotting activity
VIP: vasoactive intestinal peptide
Vit K: vitamin K
VSD: ventricular septal defect
VTE: venous thromboembolism
vWD: von Willebrand’s disease
vWF: von Willebrand factor
vWFAg: von Willebrand factor antigen
WBC: white blood count or white blood cells
WHO: World Health Organisation
WM: Waldenstr.m’s macroglobulinaemia
XDPs: cross-linked fibrin degradation products