MEDLINE is an excellent source for clinical medical information and much more. It covers all aspects of biomedicine, including the allied health fields; biological and physical sciences; and humanities and information science as they relate to medicine and health care. Citations are available for documents from over 3,600 journals published throughout the world, plus selected monographs of congresses or symposia (1976-1981). Abstracts are included for about 67% of the documents in MESH. Ovid provides a LINK to the full text for over 80 medical journals.
The following alphabetical list provides the two-letter label, the relevant alias, and an example for each MEDLINE field. A list of MEDLINE limits and ..c commands follows.
You can see a complete list of MEDLINE subheadings or a complete list of EXPLODED subheadings.
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Label Name/Example
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ab Abstract
example: bone.ab.
au Author
example: smith-tf.au.
cp Country of Publication
example: france.cp.
em Entry Month [year-month]
example: 8701.em.
fs Floating Subheading
example: ae.fs.
gs Gene Symbol
example: agr3.gs.
gw Gene Symbol Word
example: alk3.gw.
hw or me Subject Heading Word
example: diazepam.hw.
in Institution [1989 to present only]
example: harvard.in.
ip Issue/Part
example: 3.ip.
is ISSN number
example: 0098-7484.is.
jc Journal Code
example: kfr.jc.
jn or so Journal Name
example: applied pathology.jn.
jw Journal Word
example: obstetrics.jw.
lg Language
example: fre.lg.
ms Molecular Sequence
example: embl-x54741.ms.
no Grant Numbers
example: 1a132535.no.
pb Publisher [only between 1978-1983]
example: collins.pb.
pg Page [first page]
example: 44.pg.
pn Personal Name as Subject
example: smith tf.pn.
pt Publication Type
example: festschrift.pt.
rn CAS Registry/Enzyme Number
example: 3842-23-1.rn.
rw Registry Word
example: binding inhibitor.rw.
sb Journal Subset
example: n.sb.
sh or de MeSH Subject Heading
example: ulcer.sh.
ti Title
example: bone.ti.
tw Text Word (title and abstract)
example: diazepam.tw.
ui Unique Identifier
example: 87123456.ui.
vo Volume
example: 49.vo.
xs Exploded Subheading
example: ae.xs.
yr Year of Publication
example: 87.yr.
The CM (Comments) and OT (Original Title) fields are for display only,
and are not searchable.
The following are the Ovid limits for the MEDLINE database. Both forms of syntax for applying the limit directly at the command line are given where relevant.
Limit Name Example
Abstracts
Command Syntax: ..l/1 ab=y
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to abstracts
Age Groups...
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to infant
Animal
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to animal
Animal Types
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to cats
English Language
Command Syntax: ..l/1 en=y
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to english
Female
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to female
Human
Command Syntax: ..l/ hu=y
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to human
Language
Command Syntax: ..l/1 lg=fre
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to french
Latest Update
Command Syntax: ..l/1 up=y
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to latest update
Male
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to male
Publication Type
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to clinical trial
Publication Year
Command Syntax: ..l/1 yr=89
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to yr=1989
Review
Sentence Syntax: limit 1 to review
Change to MEDLINE segment
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1991-present
Command Syntax: ..c/medl
Sentence Syntax: use medl
1984-1990
Command Syntax: ..c/med84
Sentence Syntax: use med84
1976-1983
Command Syntax: ..c/med76
Sentence Syntax: use med76
1966-1975
Command Syntax: ..c/med66
Sentence Syntax: use med66
mid 1994-present
Command Syntax: ..c/med94
Sentence Syntax: use med94
1993- mid 1994
Command Syntax: ..c/med93
Sentence Syntax: use med93
1992 only
Command Syntax: ..c/med92
Sentence Syntax: use med92