Download Common Abbreviations and Acronyms

Common Abbreviations and Acronyms
Common abbreviations, acronyms, and short names are listed below. Any unofficial abbreviation should be used where they
appear in the text at least three times, and be noted in parentheses after full explanation at the first time in the text. Do not use
abbreviation(s) in the title (July 2013).
ADP, adenosine diphosphate
AFB, acid fast bacilli
AFP, alpha-fetoprotein
ALP, alkaline phosphatase
ALT, alanine aminotransferase
AMP, adenosine monophosphate
ANA, antinuclear antibody
anti-HAV, antibody to hepatitis A virus
anti-HBc, antibody to hepatitis B core antigen
anti-HBe, antibody to hepatitis B e antigen
anti-HBs, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen
anti-HCV, antibody to hepatitis C virus
aPTT, activated partial thromboplastin time
ASO, antistreptolysin O
AST, aspartate aminotransferase
ATP, adenosine triphosphate
BCG, bacillus Calmette-Guerin
BMI, body mass index
BUN, blood urea nitrogen
CA 125, cancer antigen 125
CA 19-9, carbohydrate antigen 19-9
CD, Crohn’s disease
CDAI, Crohn’s disease activity index
cDNA, complementary DNA
CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen
CK, creatine kinase
CNS, central nervous system
CRP, C-reactive protein
CT, computed tomography
DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid
EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate
EUS, endoscopic ultrasonography
FDP, fibrinogen degradation product
GGT, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase
H&E, hematoxylin and eosin stain
HAV, hepatitis A virus
HBcAg, hepatitis B core antigen
HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen
HBIG, hepatitis B immune globulin
HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen
HBV, hepatitis B virus
HCV, hepatitis C virus
HDL, high density lipoprotein
HDV, hepatitis D (delta) virus
HEV, hepatitis E virus
HLA, histocompatibility antigen
HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography
IBD, inflammatory bowel disease
IBS, irritable bowel syndrome
Ig, immunoglobulin
LDH, lactic dehydrogenase
LDL, low density lipoprotein
MHC, major histocompatibility antigen
MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
mRNA, messenger RNA
No., number(s)
NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
OD, optical density
PCR, polymerase chain reaction
PET, positron emission tomography
PG, prostaglandin
PT, prothrombin time
RFLP, restriction fragment length polymorphism
RIA, radioimmunoassay
RIBA, recombinant immunoblot assay
RNA, ribonucleic acid
RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase PCR
SC, subcutaneous(ly)
UC, ulcerative colitis
UV, ultraviolet
VLDL, very low density lipoprotein
vol, volume
wt, weight
[Units]
A, ampere(s)
cal, calorie(s)
g, gram(s)
h, hour(s)
INR, international normalized ratio
IU, international unit(s)
kcal, kilocalorie(s)
kg, kilogram(s)
L, liter(s)
m, meter(s)
M, molar
min, minute(s)
mL, milliliter(s)
mmHg, millimeter(s) of mercury
mo, month(s)
mol, mole(s)
o
C, degree(s) Celsius
osm, osmole(s)
s, second(s)
U, unit(s)
V, volt(s)
W, watt(s)
wk, week(s)
yr, year(s)
μL, microliter(s)
μm, micrometer(s)
[Statistical Terms]
ANOVA, analysis of variance
CI, confidence interval
df, degrees of freedom
n, number in study
NS, not significant
r, correlation coefficient
OR, odds ratio
RR, relative risk
SD, standard deviation
SEM, standard error of the mean