Human health and medicine

Stool DNA test

A stool DNA test is an at-home colorectal cancer screening test that detects DNA shed from tumors into stool, marketed as Cologuard and FDA approved in 2014.

STOP-BANG questionnaire

The STOP-Bang questionnaire is an 8-item yes/no tool that estimates obstructive sleep apnea risk, developed for surgical patients by Frances Chung and colleagues in 2008.

STOP-COVID (Study of the Treatment and Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19), NCT04343898, a US multicenter ICU cohort of 5,154 lab-confirmed COVID-19 adults; distinct from the tofacitinib and fluvoxamine trials of the same name.

STOP-PD trial (NCT00056472)

STOP-PD (NCT00056472), Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression: NIMH-funded 12-week RCT of 259 patients showing olanzapine plus sertraline achieved higher remission (41.9% vs 23.9%) than olanzapine alone for psychotic depression.

STOPP-CIS study

STOPP-CIS (NCT01663129), a Canadian 6-year observational cohort led by Leanne Ward at CHEO, followed 406 children starting glucocorticoids for leukemia, rheumatic disease, or nephrotic syndrome, defining pediatric steroid osteoporosis.

STOPS 03 trial

STOPS 03 (NCT07277907) is a phase 3, open-label, randomized Chinese trial by Third Military Medical University comparing lubiprostone 24 μg twice daily with polyethylene glycol 4000 for slow-transit constipation; 346 adults, 20 sites, primary completion estimated October 2027.

Stormorken-Sjaastad-Langslet syndrome

Stormorken-Sjaastad-Langslet syndrome (Stormorken syndrome, OMIM 185070) is a rare autosomal dominant CRAC channelopathy from gain-of-function STIM1 mutations, causing thrombocytopenia, asplenia, miosis, and tubular aggregate myopathy; York platelet syndrome is the same spectrum.

STR analysis

STR analysis, or short tandem repeat analysis, is a forensic DNA profiling method that identifies individuals from biological samples by measuring repeated DNA segments, and also serves paternity testing and mass-disaster investigations.

Straatsma syndrome

Straatsma syndrome: rare ophthalmologic triad of myelinated retinal nerve fibers, axial myopia, and amblyopia, usually unilateral; described by Bradley R. Straatsma et al. in 1979, with strabismus frequent and amblyopia typically refractory to treatment.

Strabismus

Strabismus (squint) is misalignment of the eyes, affecting 2-5% of people. Types include esotropia, exotropia, hypertropia; treated with glasses, prisms, exercises, or eye muscle surgery, sometimes with adjustable sutures.

Strabismus surgery

Strabismus surgery adjusts the position or tension of the extraocular muscles to realign eyes that point in different directions, improving binocular vision, stereoacuity, and head posture.

Straight leg raise

The straight leg raise, also called the Lasègue sign, lifts a patient's extended leg to detect lumbosacral nerve root irritation, most often evaluated in low back pain with sciatica.

Strain (injury)

Strain (injury): an overstretched or torn muscle or tendon, also called a pulled muscle, distinct from a ligament sprain. Common in legs, feet, and back; treated with PRICE therapy; graded I–III or by MRI.

Strain elastography

Strain elastography is an ultrasound technique that images how tissue deforms under light compression, showing relative stiffness to help assess lesions in the breast and thyroid.

Strain imaging

Strain imaging is an ultrasound technique that measures how tissue deforms under light compression, displaying relative stiffness as a color map to distinguish benign from malignant lesions.

Strain rate imaging

Strain rate imaging measures the speed of myocardial deformation (s^-1) by tissue Doppler or speckle-tracking echocardiography; distinguishes active contraction from tethering, standardized by ASE/EACVI, used for prognosis in heart disease.

Straining to void

Straining to void (ICD-11 MF50.65, 腹圧排尿) is a voiding symptom: needing to strain or push to empty the bladder. It signals bladder outlet obstruction or detrusor underactivity and is one of three required symptoms of underactive bladder.

Strategic National Stockpile

Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), also National Pharmaceutical Stockpile: HHS/ASPR-managed multibillion-dollar U.S. inventory of drugs, vaccines, PPE, and ventilators for public health emergencies, created 1999, deployable within 12 hours.

Stratified squamous epithelium

Stratified squamous epithelium, keratinized or non-keratinized, is a multilayered protective epithelium with flattened surface cells, lining skin, esophagus, vagina, cornea, and oral mucosa, renewed by basal cell mitosis.

Strava

Strava: social fitness app and website for recording GPS runs, rides, and 50 activity types, with segment leaderboards (KOM/QOM). 200M+ athletes in 185+ countries; $80/yr subscription; known for leaderboard integrity efforts and privacy incidents like the 2018 heatmap.

Strepsils

Strepsils is Reckitt's throat lozenge brand, launched 1958, whose original formula pairs amylmetacresol 0.6 mg with 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol 1.2 mg for sore throat relief; variants add lidocaine, flurbiprofen, or ambroxol.

Streptococcal ecthyma

Streptococcal ecthyma (ICD-11 1B73.0), also called deep impetigo, is a dermal ulcerative skin infection caused by group A Streptococcus pyogenes, often with Staphylococcus aureus, treated with 7-day oral antibiotics.

Streptococcal necrotising fasciitis

Streptococcal necrotising fasciitis, or type II necrotizing fasciitis (hemolytic streptococcal gangrene), is a rapidly progressive Streptococcus pyogenes infection destroying fascia and fat, treated with urgent debridement plus penicillin and clindamycin, with 15-20% mortality.

Streptococcal pharyngitis

Streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat), oropharynx infection by Streptococcus pyogenes (group A strep), causes 20-30% of childhood sore throats; treated with penicillin, which faces no reported GAS resistance; key complication is rheumatic fever.

Streptokinase (drug)

Streptokinase, a 47 kDa protein from beta-hemolytic streptococci (S. equisimilis H46A), is the first plasminogen-activator thrombolytic drug, discovered by Tillett in 1933, dosed at 1.5 million IU IV, and still the low-cost (~US$200) clot-buster of developing countries.

Streptomycin

Streptomycin, a 1944 aminoglycoside from Streptomyces griseus and the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis, now a second-line injectable TB and endocarditis drug dosed 15 mg/kg IM, limited by ototoxicity and rrs/gidB resistance.

Stress echocardiography

Stress echocardiography, including dobutamine stress echocardiography, is a cardiac ultrasound method that images left ventricular wall motion during exercise or pharmacological stress to detect coronary artery disease.

Stress electrocardiography

Stress electrocardiography, or exercise ECG testing, records a continuous electrocardiogram during treadmill or cycle exercise to detect myocardial ischemia and assess prognosis in known or suspected coronary artery disease.