PubMed Subset Strategies
The following PubMed subject subsets can be used for searching. Subsets are available on the Limits screen, unless otherwise noted. See PubMed's Help for searching information. See also the PubMed Special Queries.
The following subset strategies are available:
- AIDS
- This strategy was created to facilitate searching for subjects in the area of AIDS. Based on search strategies used for creating NLM's AIDSLINE database. This subset can also be used in a search as aids [sb].
Example: tuberculosis AND aids [sb] - Bioethics
- This strategy was created by NLM and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University to facilitate searching for citations to articles in the area of bioethics. This subset can also be used in a search as bioethics [sb].
Example: euthanasia AND bioethics [sb] - Cancer
- This strategy uses terms from the Neoplasms and related branches of MeSH, cancer-related text words, and MEDLINE journal titles. It was created jointly by NLM and the National Cancer Institute to facilitate searching for subjects in all areas of cancer, ranging from clinical care to basic research. This subset can also be used in a search as cancer [sb].
Example: survivors AND cancer [sb] - Complementary Medicine
- This strategy was created using terms from the Alternative Medicine branch of MeSH, as well as additional terms and names of MEDLINE journals provided by The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It is provided to facilitate searching for subjects in the area of complementary and alternative medicine. This subset can also be used in a search as cam [sb].
Example: osteoarthritis AND cam [sb] - Dietary Supplements
- This strategy was developed jointly by NLM and the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. It is designed to limit search results to citations from a broad spectrum of dietary supplement literature. This subset can also be used in a search as dietsuppl [sb].
Example: anemia AND dietsuppl [sb] - History of Medicine
- This strategy was created by NLM's History of Medicine Division to facilitate searching for subjects in the history of medicine. This subset can also be used in a search as history [sb].
Example: anthrax AND history [sb] - Space Life Sciences
- This strategy was developed by NLM and the NASA SPACELINE Office and is intended to retrieve citations of interest to those working in the field of space life sciences research. This subset is not on PubMed Limits (as of November 2010). This subset can be used in a search as space [sb].
Example: exercise AND space [sb] - Systematic Reviews
- This strategy is intended to retrieve citations identified as systematic reviews, meta-analyses, reviews of clinical trials, evidence-based medicine, consensus development conferences, guidelines, and citations to articles from journals specializing in review studies of value to clinicians. This subset can be used in a search as systematic [sb].
Example: exercise hypertension AND systematic [sb]
This subset is available on the Limits screen under "Subsets." It is also available on the Clinical Queries screen. For additional sources of strategies for systematic reviews, please see the list of related sources. - Toxicology
- This strategy was created by NLM's Specialized Information Services to facilitate searching for subjects in the area of toxicology. This subset can also be used in a search as tox [sb].
Example: lead AND tox [sb] - Veterinary Science
- This strategy was created to facilitate searching for veterinary medicine and animal health literature. It includes a wide range of subject search terms and journal titles. This subset can also be used in a search as veterinary [sb].
Example: hyperparathyroidism AND veterinary [sb]
