Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Cardinal sign (pathology)

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In pathology, a cardinal sign or cardinal symptom is the primary or major clinical sign symptom by which a diagnosis is made.

A cluster of signs or symptoms are often combined (pathognomonic) to better diagnose a specific disease or syndrome.

Examples

Inflammation is characterized by five cardinal signs:

  • rubor (redness),
  • calor (increased heat),
  • tumor (swelling),
  • dolor (pain), and
  • functio laesa (loss of function).

    • The first four signs were first established by Aulus Cornelius Celsus in his work De Medicina (1st Century DC), and are known by the name Celsus tetrad.

    In acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, diagnosis is normally based on the three cardinal signs of:

  • Increased shortness of breath
  • Increased sputum volume
  • Purulent sputum

    • References

    Cardinal sign (pathology) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA