Which term describes symptoms that occur together more frequently than chance would suggest?

The term that describes symptoms or signs that occur together more frequently than chance would suggest is "syndrome." A syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms that are correlated and often arise from a specific underlying cause or shared pathophysiology. This term highlights the concept of a pattern of clinical findings that may aid in diagnosing or understanding a particular condition. For instance, Down syndrome presents a well-defined set of characteristics including hypotonia, distinct facial features, and developmental delays, which occur more frequently together than would occur randomly.

In contrast, a sequence refers to a pattern of anomalies resulting from a single primary cause, where one defect leads to a series of secondary defects. Deformation refers to an abnormal shape or form of a part of the body resulting from mechanical forces, while malformation signifies an abnormal structural formation due to intrinsic factors during early development. While these terms each describe specific types of developmental abnormalities or patterns, they do not encapsulate the idea of a group of symptoms occurring together more frequently than by chance, which is the essence of a syndrome.