List of medical triads, tetrads, and pentads

A medical triad is a group of three signs or symptoms, the result of injury to three organs, which characterise a specific medical condition. The appearance of all three signs conjoined together in another patient, points to that the patient has the same medical condition, or diagnosis. A medical tetrad is a group of four, while a pentad is a group of five.

Triads

Name Triad Disease
Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture triadHypotension, pulsatile abdominal mass, flank painAbdominal aortic aneurysm
Achalasia triadIncreased lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone, decreased LES relaxation, aperistalsisAchalasia
Allergic triadEczema (atopic dermatitis), allergic rhinitis, bronchitisAtopy
Alkaptonuria triadOchronotic arthritis, ochronotic pigmentation, urine darkens on standingAlkaptonuria
Amyand's triadAmyand's hernia, appendicitis, undescended testis
Anderson triadSubcutaneous emphysema, rapid respirations, abdominal rigidityEsophageal rupture (likely intra-abdominal)
Austrian syndrome triadPneumonia, endocarditis, meningitis (all caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae)Austrian syndrome
Beck's triadMuffled heart sound, distended neck veins, hypotensionCardiac tamponade
Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) Apnea, bradycardia, and hypotension Sinus bradycardia
Budd–Chiari syndromeAbdominal pain, ascites, hepatomegalyBudd–Chiari syndrome
Charcot's cholangitis triadRight upper quadrant pain, fever, jaundiceAscending cholangitis
Charcot's neurologic triadScanning speech, intention tremor, nystagmusMultiple sclerosis
Triad of congenital toxoplasmosisChorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, intracranial calcificationsCongenital toxoplasmosis
Triad of congenital rubellaCataracts, patent ductus arteriosus, sensorineural hearing lossCongenital rubella
Congestive heart failure triadTachycardia, tachypnea, tender hepatomegalyCongestive heart failure
Cushing's triadBradycardia, bradypnea, hypertensionIncreased Intracranial Pressure
Dieulafoy's triadHyperesthesia of the skin, exquisite tenderness and guarding over McBurney's pointAcute appendicitis
Dietl's crisisRenal colic, swelling in loin which disappears after urinationHydronephrosis
Fanconi syndrome triadAminoaciduria, proteinuria, phosphaturiaFanconi syndrome
Female athlete triadEating disorders, amenorrhoea, decreased bone mineral densityRelative energy deficiency in sport
Felty triadRheumatoid arthritis, neutropenia, splenomegalyRheumatoid arthritis complication
Goodpasture syndrome triadGlomerulonephritis, pulmonary hemorrhage, presence of anti-GBM antibodiesGoodpasture syndrome
Gradenigos triadSixth cranial nerve palsy, persistent ear discharge, deep seated retro orbital painGradenigo's syndrome
Graves Disease triadGoiter, exophthalmos, pretibial myxedemaGraves' disease
Halban triad Delay in a normal period followed by spotting, unilateral pelvic pain, and a small, tender, adnexal mass Corpus luteum cyst
Triad of opioid overdoseRespiratory depression, pinpoint pupils, CNS depressionOpioid overdose
Triad of granulomatosis with polyangiitisFocal necrotizing vasculitis, necrotizing granulomas in the lung and upper airway, necrotizing glomerulonephritisGranulomatosis with polyangiitis
Hakim triad[1] (Adams triad)Urinary incontinence, gait disturbance, dementiaNormal pressure hydrocephalus
Quincke's Triad[2] (Triad of Sandblom)Melena, obstructive jaundice, biliary colicHemobilia
Triad of Meigs' syndromeAscites, pleural effusion, benign ovarian tumorMeigs' syndrome
Hemolytic–uremic syndrome triadAnemia, thrombocytopenia, kidney failure (but see pentad of TTP below)Hemolytic–uremic syndrome
Horner's syndrome triadPtosis (eyelid), miosis, anhydrosisHorner's syndrome
Hutchinson's triadHutchison's teeth, interstitial keratitis, nerve deafnessCongenital syphilis
Kartagener syndrome triadBronchiectasis, recurrent sinusitis, situs inversusKartagener syndrome
Leriche's syndrome triadBilateral hip, thigh, and buttock claudication, impotence, symmetric atrophy of the bilateral lower extremities due to chronic ischemiaLeriche's syndrome
Mackler's triadVomiting, pain, subcutaneous emphysemaBoerhaave syndrome
Three C's of measlesCough, coryza, conjunctivitisMeasles
Meltzer's triadPurpura, arthralgias, weakness/myalgiasCryoglobulinemia
Triad of reactive arthritisUrethritis, conjunctivitis and anterior uveitis, arthritisReactive arthritis
Saint's triadGallstones, diverticulosis, hiatus hernia
Samter's triad (also known as acetylsalicylic acid triad, Widal's triad, Francis' triad or aspirin triad)Aspirin sensitivity, nasal polyps, asthmaAspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease
Tetany in children triadStridor, carpopedal spasm, convulsionsTetany
Trauma triad of deathCoagulopathy, hypothermia, acidosisDeath
Triad of albinismBlack locks, oculocutaneous albinism, sensorineural deafnessAlbinism
Triad of Alport syndromeSensorineural deafness, progressive kidney failure, ocular anomaliesAlport syndrome
Triad of Behcet's syndromeRecurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, iridocyclitisBehçet's disease
Triad of causes of biotin deficiencyGlossitis, alopecia, dermatitisBiotin deficiency
Triad of Henoch–Schönlein purpuraPalpable purpura on buttock/legs, arthralgias, abdominal painIgA vasculitis
Triad of HypernephromaPain, hematuria, renal massHypernephroma
Triad of KwashiorkorGrowth retardation, mental changes, edemaKwashiorkor
Triad of Plummer–Vinson syndromeIron deficiency anemia, dysphagia, esophageal websPlummer–Vinson syndrome
Triad of Renal cell carcinomaHematuria, palpable abdominal mass, flank painRenal cell carcinoma
Triple testEstimation of hCG, estriol, AFPFetal chromosomal abnormalities
Trotter's triadConductive deafness, immobility of homolateral soft palate, trigeminal neuralgiaNasopharyngeal carcinoma
Unhappy triad (Also known as O'Donoghue's triad or a blown knee)Injury to the ACL, MCL, and meniscus (either medial or lateral)Knee injury
Virchow's triadStasis, hypercoagulability, vessel injuryVenous thrombosis
Triad of Wernicke encephalopathyConfusion, ophthalmoplegia, ataxiaWernicke encephalopathy
Whipple's triadHypoglycaemia during attacks, resolution of symptoms upon correction of blood glucose, symptoms brought about by low glucose states.Insulinoma
Triad of aortic stenosisChest pain, heart failure, syncopeAortic stenosis
Murphy's triadPain, vomiting, feverAcute appendicitis
Tillaux's triadSoft fluctuant swelling in umbilical region, swelling moves perpendicular to mesentery, zone of resonance all around swellingMesenteric cyst
Rigler's triadSmall bowel obstruction, a gallstone outside the gallbladder, air in the bile ductsGallstone ileus
Wilkie's syndrome (SMA syndrome)Chronic peptic ulcer, chronic appendicitis, chronic calcular cholecystitisgastro-vascular disorder

Tetrads

Name Tetrad Disease
Tetralogy of FallotPulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defect, right ventricular hypertrophy, overriding aortaTetralogy of Fallot
Ménière's diseaseVertigo, tinnitus, fluctuating low frequency hearing loss, aural fullnessMénière's disease
Zoonotic tetradScrub typhus, chiggers, rodents and birds, scrub vegetation

Pentads

Name Pentad Disease
Pentad of TTPRemembered by the mnemonic "FAT RN" (or alternatively "ART FaN"): fever, anemia (microangiopathic hemolytic anemia), thrombocytopenia, renal failure, neurologic disturbancesThrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Pentalogy of CantrellOmphalocele, anterior diaphragmatic hernia, sternal cleft, ectopia cordis, intracardiac defectThoracoabdominal syndrome
Pentalogy of FallotFallot's tetralogy with a patent foramen ovale or atrial septum defect
Pentad of primary hyperparathyroidismStones (kidney stones), bones (bone-related complications), thrones (polyuria), abdominal groans (gastro-intestinal symptoms), psychiatric overtones (psychiatric and neurological symptoms)Primary hyperparathyroidism
Reynold's pentadRight upper quadrant abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, shock, depression of central nervous system functionAcute suppurative cholangitis

See also

References

  1. Wallenstein, Matthew B.; McKhann, Guy M. (July 2010). "Salomón Hakim and the discovery of normal-pressure hydrocephalus". Neurosurgery. 67 (1): 155–159, discussion 159. doi:10.1227/01.neu.0000370058.12120.0e. ISSN 1524-4040. PMID 20568668.
  2. Rogers, Jeremy; Cadogan, Mike; Cadogan, Jeremy Rogers and Mike (2025-07-31). "Quincke's Triad". Life in the Fast Lane • LITFL. Retrieved 2025-09-03.