klinisch nicht abweichen

11:06 Sep 13, 2011 

The values of lab tests can't "deviate clinically". They are what they are - within or outside of the normal range - and they can fluctuate. Fluctuations in values may or may not be clinically relevant - this is judged on whether there is any effect on the patient.

09:48 Sep 13, 2011 

This is how I understand the source text:
Over X years patients also showed continuously normal electrolyte values, which clinically did not deviate from the normal range significantly.

19:51 Sep 12, 2011 

The translation would read:[... ]" and did not demonstrate/show any clinically-relevant variation". See here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15170702

16:26 Sep 12, 2011 

As I understand it, the values remained within the range of normal and did not vary in any way that was clinically relevant.

13:18 Sep 12, 2011 

IOW, we haven't been able to understand the source text so far -- which is precisely why I voiced the need for a German native speaker to unravel it. The translator's stratagem of retaining the ambiguity of the source text in the translation should really be the last resort ;-)

12:07 Sep 12, 2011 

Given that the source text is ambiguous (do they mean statistically significant or important differences with clinical consequences?), in the absence of explanation from the author, I think you are obliged to translate literally, as you have suggested.

10:19 Sep 12, 2011 

I must admit that I don't understand the phrase, impressive though it may sound. "Differ" from what? And what does "in clinical terms" mean ? I understand "...wichen klinisch nicht signifikant ab" to mean that "Die Elektrolytwerte wichen klinisch nicht signifikant vom Normalbereich ab", but my understanding needs to be confirmed (or negated, for that matter) by a German native speaker.

09:50 Sep 12, 2011 

... seems fine to me. I prefer "did not differ significantly in clinical terms" to either of the options currently suggested (I think that to bring in "outcomes" is straying from what the German actually says, which is that levels were within the normal range, and "did not reveal clinical divergence" is a bit of mouthful.