| HCSD | Health Care Studies Division |
|---|---|
| MSU | maple sugar urine; maple syrup urine; medical studies unit; mid-stream urine; monosodium urate; myoc... |
| NIHS | National Institute of Hypertension Studies |
| RRN | returning [for advanced studies] registered nurse |
| SNCS | sensory nerve conduction studies |
| electrophysiological studies | <investigation> A special study that involves the placement of electrodes inside the heart to map the electrical characteristics of the heart. This study is carried out in a specially equipped lab and is similar to a cardiac catheterisation procedure. Electrodes are placed inside the heart via a catheter placed into a vein. The electrodes are positioned near the heart's conduction system and an electrical map of the heart can be determined. This test is often performed in those where a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia is a problem. The location and characteristics of an arrhythmia can be determined, thus guiding medical management of the problem. Patients with Wolf Parkinson White syndrome or sick sinus syndrome may have this test as part of their evaluation. Acronym: EPS (14 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| epidemiologic studies | Studies designed to examine associations, commonly, hypothesised causal relations. They are usually concerned with identifying or measuring the effects of risk factors or exposures. The common types of analytic study are case-control studies, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies. (12 Dec 1998) |
| evaluation studies | Studies determining the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies. For drugs and devices, clinical trials, drug evaluation, and drug screening are available. (12 Dec 1998) |
| twin studies | Methods of detecting genetic aetiology in human traits. The basic premise of twin studies is that monozygotic twins, being formed by the division of a single fertilised ovum, carry identical genes, while dizygotic twins, being formed by the fertilization of two ova by two different spermatozoa, are genetically no more similar than two siblings born after separate pregnancies. (12 Dec 1998) |
| feasibility studies | Studies to determine the advantages or disadvantages, practicability, or capability of accomplishing a projected plan, study, or project. (12 Dec 1998) |
| follow-up studies | Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| longitudinal studies | Studies in which variables relating to an individual or group of individuals are assessed over a period of time. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Addison's clinical planes | A series of plane's used as landmarks in thoracoabdominal topography; the trunk is divided vertically by a median plane from the upper border of the manubrium of the sternum to the pubic symphysis, by a lateral plane drawn vertically on either side through a point half way between the anterior superior iliac spine and the median plane at the interspinal plane, and by an interspinal plane passing vertically through the anterior superior iliac spine on either side; transversely the trunk is divided by a transthoracic plane passing across the thorax 3.2 cm above the lower border of the body of the sternum, by a transpyloric plane midway between the jugular notch of the sternum and the pubic symphysis, corresponding to the disc between the first and second lumbar vertebrae, and by an intertubercular plane passing through the iliac tubercles and cutting usually the fifth lumbar vertebra; the plane's formed on these lines, and also on transverse plane's cutting the upper edge of the manubrium and the upper edge of the pubic symphysis, constitute the clinical plane's of Addison. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pathology, clinical | A subspecialty of pathology which deals with the laboratory analysis of specimens of human blood and other fluids. (12 Dec 1998) |
| chemistry, clinical | The specialty of analytical chemistry applied to assays of physiologically important substances found in blood, urine, tissues, and other biological fluids for the purpose of aiding the physician in making a diagnosis or following therapy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pharmacology, clinical | The branch of pharmacology that deals directly with the effectiveness and safety of drugs in humans. (12 Dec 1998) |
| phase I clinical trial | <pharmacology> The earliest stage clinical trial for studying an experimental drug in humans. Phase I trials are generally comparatively small and are used to determine toxicity and maximum dose. They provide an initial evaluation of a drug's safety and pharmacokinetics-how the drug is absorbed, what tissues it reaches and how long it takes to leave the body. Such studies also usually test various doses of the drug (dose-ranging) to obtain an indication of the appropriate dose to use in later studies. The patients in these trials usually have advanced disease and have already received best available chemotherapy, therefore, seeing a repose is significant partially because this means there is a lack of cross-resistance between two anti-cancer drugs. (31 Dec 1997) |
| phase II clinical trial | <pharmacology> Usually focus on the activity of the new product as a single agent in a noncomparative, open study. (31 Dec 1997) |
| phase III clinical trial | <pharmacology> An advanced stage clinical trial that should conclusively show how well a drug works as compared to other treatments. Phase III trials are large, frequently multi-institution tests. They generally compare the relative value of the new drug compared with the current standard treatment and measure whether a new drug extends survival or otherwise improves the health of patients on treatment (clinical improvement) rather than just provide surrogate marker data. These studies generally last longer and are larger than phase II trials. (31 Dec 1997) |
| Millon clinical multiaxial inventory | A paper and pencil test, consisting of 20 clinical scales derived from 175 self-descriptive statements, and developed in 1977 for use in the assessment of psychopathology and the more enduring patterns of personality; specifically designed to correspond with some of the disorders of personality included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used in diagnosis by mental health professionals. Synonym: Millon clinical multiaxial inventory. (05 Mar 2000) |