MEDICAL ACRONYM: SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATION

1°  primary
2° secondary
A&E accident & emergency
AAFB acid and alcohol fast bacilli
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
bd bis die (twice daily)
BJP Bence-Jones protein
BM bone marrow
BMJ British Medical Journal
BMT bone marrow transplant(ation)
BP blood pressure
Bx biopsy
C1 INH C1 esterase inhibitor
C3Nef complement C3 nephritic factor
C&S culture & sensitivity
Ca carcinoma
Ca2+ calcium
CABG coronary artery bypass graft
CAH congenital adrenal hyperplasia
cALL common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
CBC complete blood count (American term for FBC)
CCF congestive cardiac failure
CCK cholecystokinin
CCU coronary care unit
CD cluster designation
cDNA complementary DNA
CEA carcinoembryonic antigen
CF cystic fibrosis or complement fixation
cfu colony-forming units
CGL chronic granulocytic leukaemia
CHAD cold haemagglutinin disease
CHD coronary heart disease
CJD Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (v = new variant)
CK creatine kinase
CL– chloride
CLL chronic lymphocytic (‘lymphatic’) leukaemia
CLO test Campylobacter-like organism
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
CTLp cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor assay
CVA cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
CVD cardiovascular disease
CVS cardiovascular system or chorionic villus sampling
CXR chest x-ray
DAT direct antiglobulin test
dATP deoxy ATP
DCCT Diabetes Control and Complications Trial
DCT direct Coombs’ test
DDAVP desamino D-arginyl vasopressin
DE evoked potential
DIC disseminated intravascular coagulation
DIDMOAD diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and
deafness
DKA diabetic ketoacidosis
dL decilitre
DM diabetes mellitus
DNA deoxyribonucleic acid
2,3-DPG 2,3-diphosphoglycerate
dRVVT dilute Russell’s viper venom test

DTT dilute thromboplastin time
DU duodenal ulcer
DVT deep vein thrombosis
DXT radiotherapy
EBV Epstein-Barr virus
ECG electrocardiograph
EDH extradural haemorrhage
EDTA ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid
EEG electroencephalogram
ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
EMG electromyogram
Epo erythropoietin
ERCP endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESREF end-stage renal failure
ET essential thrombocythaemia
etOH ethanol
FAB French–American–British
FACS fluorescence-activated cell sorter
FBC full blood count (aka complete blood count, CBC)
FDPs fibrin degradation products
Fe iron
FeSO4 ferrous sulphate
FISH fluorescence in situ hybridisation
FIX factor IX
fL femtolitres
FMRI functional MRI
FOB faecal occult blood
FPG fasting plasma glucose
FUO fever of unknown origin (like PUO)
FVIII factor VIII
FVL factor V Leiden
g gram
G&S group & save serum
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 ( 2 2)
HbA1c haemoglobin A1c
HbA2 haemoglobin A2 ( 2 2)
HbF haemoglobin F (fetal Hb, 2 2)
HbH haemoglobin H ( 4)
HBsAg hepatitis B surface antigen
HBV hepatitis B virus
hCG human chorionic gonadotrophin
HCO3
– bicarbonate
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
IFN- interferon alpha
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
iu/IU international units
IV intravenous
IVI intravenous infusion
IVU intravenous urogram
JCA juvenile chronic arthritis
JVP jugular venous pressure
K+ potassium
KCCT kaolin cephalin clotting time ( APTT)
kDa kiloDaltons
kg kilogram
KUB kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)
L litre or left
LA lupus anticoagulant or lactic acidosis or local anaesthetic
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
LKM liver/kidney microsomal
LP lumbar puncture
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
mg milligram (10–3 gram)
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
mOsm milliosmole
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
MUD matched unrelated donor (transplant)
μg microgram (10–6 gram)
Na+ sodium
NaCl sodium chloride
NADP nicotinamide adenine diphosphate
NADPH nicotinamide adenine diphosphate (reduced)
NAP neutrophil alkaline phosphatase
NEJM New England Journal of Medicine
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
od omni die (once daily)
OGD oesophagogastroduodenoscopy
OGTT oral glucose tolerance test
OHCH Oxford Handbook of Clinical Haematology
OHCM Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine
PA posteroanterior or pernicious anaemia or pulmonary
artery

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
PCT proximal convoluted tubule
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
PO per os (by mouth)
PO3–
4 phosphate
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
qds quater die sumendus (to be taken 4 times a day)
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
stat statim (immediate; as initial dose)
STEMI ST-elevation myocardial infarction
sTfR soluble transferrin receptor assay
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
tds ter die sumendum (to be taken 3 times a day)
TdT terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
TENS transcutaneous nerve stimulation
TFT thyroid function test(s)
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 Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia
XDPs cross-linked fibrin degradation products