n.sign of life; usually an indicator of a person's general physical condition

vital sign
Wearable vital sign monitoring system
Managing pain: the fifth vital sign.
Respiratory rate: the neglected vital sign
Impedance cardiography: the next vital sign technology?
White paper: "walking speed: the sixth vital sign"
Emotional distress: the sixth vital sign--future directions in cancer care.
Measuring pain as the 5th vital sign does not improve quality of pain management.
Menstruation in girls and adolescents: using the menstrual cycle as a vital sign.
Development and validation of a measure of health literacy in the UK: the newest vital sign