Logicial Observation Identifier Names and Codes (LOINC(tm)) Clinical Database DBF Format Copyright 1995, 1996 Regenstrief Institute and the Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes (LOINC(tm)) Committee. All rights reserved. CLNLDBF.EXE is a self-extracting ZIP file which contains LOINCLN1.DBF, LOINCLN1.CDX, and LOINCLN1.TXT (the file you are currently reading). These files are also available on diskette for those who do not have access to FTP or the Web. Precise instructions for obtaining the files are given later in this document. LOINCLN1.DBF is the Clinical LOINC database in DBF (dBase(tm)) format. This database file was created using Microsoft Foxpro(tm) Version 2.5. It is a standard DBF format, and should be usable with all programs, including dBASE, which are capable of using this format. The fields that are contained in this database are listed in Table 1. These fields are described in more detail in the Clinical LOINC Mini-Manual, which is available on the Duke server as a WordPerfect, Word, or ASCII text document. To use these files in FoxPro, place LOINCLN1.DBF and LOINCLN1.CDX in one directory. Under the FoxPro File menu, Open LOINCLN1.DBF. LOINCLN1.CDX will automatically open as well. To find a particular word or phrase in any field, search the database using the Edit Find command. Type your word or phrase into the dialog box. The record containing the first occurrence of the word/phrase will be highlighted. To find more occurrences, press -G. This search mechanism is particularly useful because it increases your chances of identifying the record of interest since the search scope includes the name, synonym, and comment fields simultaneously. LOINCLN1.CDX is a structural database index which includes tags for all 37 of the fields listed in Table 1. In addition, a composite index STD_SORT is included. If the database is sorted on STD_SORT it will be indexed in the same order as the printable versions of the Clinical LOINC database (which are available on the Duke server as CLNLDBW1.WP6 and CLNLDBW1.DOC): CLASS (Field 9) + COMPONENT (Field 2) + SYSTEM (Field 5) + PROPERTY (Field 3) + TIM_ASPCT (Field 4) + PRECISION (Field 6) + METHOD (Field 7) To use LOINCLN1.CDX to sort the database into a particular order for browsing or merging with another database, use the Database Setup function. In the Indexes list which appears at the right side of the dialog box, place the cursor on the name of the field you wish to sort by and choose Order to sort the database on the contents of that field. (All tags are contructed in ascending order. If you wish to sort in descending order, press while on the tag name and an Options dialog box will open. Change the order to "descending" by pressing "D". You will be warned that already exists and asked if you want to overwrite it. You must specify "Yes" to construct the reverse order tag.) Press - or tab to the <> field and press when you are finished. The approach will be similar in most other dBase-compatible programs. Table 1: DATABASE FIELDS (See the LOINC Users' Manual for a more complete explanation) Position Name Type Size Implemented? 1 LOINC_CODE Character 7 Yes 2 COMPONENT Character 150 Yes 3 PROPERTY Character 10 Yes 4 TIME_ASPCT Character 10 Yes 5 SYSTEM Character 35 Yes 6 SCALE_TYP Character 10 Yes 7 METHOD_TYP Character 30 Yes 8 RELAT_NMS Character 254 Yes 9 CLASS Character 20 Yes 10 SOURCE Character 8 Yes 11 EUCLIDE_CD Character 10 Yes 12 ASTM_CD Character 9 Yes 13 IUPAC_CD Character 8 Yes 14 DT_LAST_CH Date 8 Yes 15 CHNG_REAS Character 200 Yes 16 CHNG_TYPE Character 3 Yes 17 COMMENTS Character 254 Yes 18 ANSWERLIST Character 254 Yes 19 STATUS Character 3 Yes 20 MAP_TO Character 7 Yes 21 SCOPE Character 254 No 22 SNOMED_CD Character 10 No 23 VA_CD Character 8 No 24 METPATH_CD Character 10 Yes 25 HCFA_CD Character 12 No 26 CDC_CD Character 4 Partially 27 NORM_RANGE Character 30 Partially 28 UNITS Character 20 Partially 29 OTHR_UNITS Character 20 No 30 GPI_CD Character 15 Yes 31 GPI_CD_TOTAL Character 254 Yes 32 REFERENCE Character 254 Yes 33 EXACT_CP_SY Character 254 Yes 34 MOLAR_MASS Character 13 Yes 35 IUPC_ANLT_CD Character 13 Yes 36 ANSWERLST2 Character 254 Yes 37 ANSWERLST3 Character 254 Yes All 37 fields are included in the database, even though some fields, especially 21-23, 25, and 29, are entirely blank. Copyright and Permission to Use, Copy, and Distribute ----------------------------------------------------- Permission is hereby granted, without written agreement and without license or royalty fees, to use, copy, or distribute the DBF version of the Clinical LOINC codes database for any purpose, so long as this file (LOINCLN1.TXT) is always distributed with LOINCLN1.DBF and that the following conditions are met. Users of the LOINC codes agree to the following conditions: 1) They will not revise the meanings of any of the LOINC codes. 2) They will not change any contents in the defined LOINC Fields. (Users may add their own new fields to the data base if they want to attach additional information to the existing LOINC record.) 3) They will include this notice of copyright and terms of use in any copies of the LOINC database that they distribute. 4) If new records are added to the LOINC database as distributed to deal with local requirements, these records must be assigned a LOINC code number containing a leading alphabetic "X" so that the new term cannot be confused with new LOINC codes as they are assigned by the LOINC committee. 5) Those who incorporate any part of the LOINC data base into another laboratory test definition data base for distribution outside of their corporation must include the LOINC number (field #1) all six name fields (#2-7), the related terms (field #8), and the answer list (field #18), and distribute this copyright notice with the electronic document that incorporates the LOINC database. Regenstrief Institute and the members of the LOINC Consortium do not accept liability for any omissions or errors in the LOINC data base, and ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THOSE RELATING TO MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE DISCLAIMED. LOINC is a trademark of the Regenstrief Institute. This legend should be displayed on every copy of the database (both on the diskette itself and in a text file loaded onto the diskette or onto the Internet), and on all user manuals and other materials used in connection with the LOINC data base. Obtaining LOINC Files --------------------- All LOINC files, including LOINCLN1.DBF, LOINCLN1.CDX, the printable versions of the database, the Users' Guide, and other information files, are available from the Duke Web Server or can be obtained from Regenstrief Institute, as described below. Please send questions and comments to: Regenstrief Institute c/o Kathy Hutchins 1001 West 10th Street, RG-5 Indianapolis, IN 46202 Internet: loinc@regenstrief.iupui.edu LOINC documents are available via FTP/Gopher: www.mcis.duke.edu/standards/termcode/loinclab/ World Wide Web URL: http://www.mcis.duke.edu/standards/termcode/loinc.htm List of Files: Description File Name ----------- --------- Clinical LOINC data base (WP 6.0) uncompressed CLNLDBW1.WP6 Clinical LOINC data base (WP 6.0) PKZIPped CLNLDBW1.ZIP Clinical LOINC data base (Word 6.0) uncompressed CLNLDBWW.DOC Clinical LOINC data base (Word 6.0) PKZIPped CLNLDBWW.ZIP Clinical LOINC data base (ASCII) uncompressed CLNLDBT1.TXT Clinical LOINC data base (ASCII) PKZIPped CLNLDBT1.ZIP Clinical LOINC data base (DBF) self-extracting file CLNLDBF.EXE Clinical LOINC Users Manual (WP 6.0) CLNLMAN1.WP6 Clinical LOINC Users Manual (Word 6.0) CLNLMAN1.DOC Clinical LOINC Users Manual (ASCII) CLNLMAN1.TXT Clinical LOINC Read Me (ASCII) CLNLRDME.TXT Clinical LOINC COMMITTEE MEMBERS Clement J. McDonald, M.D., Chairman Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis IN Kris Barone Shared Medical Systems, Malvern, PA Dean Bidgood Duke University, Durham, NC Bruce Bray University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Stan Huff, M.D. IHC/Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT William Francis Hewlett Packard, Andover, MA Phil McClain Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA Daniel Pollock Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA Anders Thurin University Hospital, Linkoping, Sweden Wayne Tracy SpaceLabs Medical Inc., Overland Park, KS Larry Widman University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK Acknowledgements We wish to thank Henrik Olesen, Chairman of the IUPAC Commission on Quantities and Units in Clinical Chemistry, for his very helpful comments and insights about laboratory test coding. This endeavor was supported in part by grants and contracts from the John A. Hartford Foundation of New York, the National Library of Medicine(Contract NO1-LM-3-3410), and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (ACHPR) (Grants HS 05626 and HS 07719-013). Much of the work was performed in the Regenstrief Institute.