This is hard to do in an error-free way,
at least without knowing more details.
You can use -destring- with the -ignore()-
option to get rid of alphabetic and punctuation
characters, but don't lose periods.
Alternatively, if the number is always followed
by a space, as is good scientific practice,
then what you want is just the numeric version of
the first word. Look at -split-.
Nick
[email protected]
Andy Choi
> I have a large file with patient's labs. The lab
> variable contains the lab result (a number) with the
> units (for example mg/dl) included. There are many
> variations to the way the units are reported: they may
> be capitalized or in parentheses or the units
> themselves may contain numbers.
>
> I would like to create a variable that includes only
> the lab result. And if possible a separate variable
> with the units.
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