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Henn J, Hatterscheidt S, Sahu A, Buness A, Dohmen J, Arensmeyer J, Feodorovici P, Sommer N, Schmidt J, Kalff JC, Matthaei H. Machine Learning for Decision-Support in Acute Abdominal Pain - Proof of Concept and Central Considerations. Zentralbl Chir 2023; 148:376-383. [PMID: 37562397 DOI: 10.1055/a-2125-1559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Acute abdominal pain is a common presenting symptom in the emergency department and represents heterogeneous causes and diagnoses. There is often a decision to be made regarding emergency surgical care. Machine learning (ML) could be used here as a decision-support and relieve the time and personnel resource shortage.Patients with acute abdominal pain presenting to the Department of Surgery at Bonn University Hospital in 2020 and 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical parameters as well as laboratory values were used as predictors. After randomly splitting into a training and test data set (ratio 80 to 20), three ML algorithms were comparatively trained and validated. The entire procedure was repeated 20 times.A total of 1357 patients were identified and included in the analysis, with one in five (n = 276, 20.3%) requiring emergency abdominal surgery within 24 hours. Patients operated on were more likely to be male (p = 0.026), older (p = 0.006), had more gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea: p < 0.001, vomiting p < 0.001) as well as a more recent onset of pain (p < 0.001). Tenderness (p < 0.001) and guarding (p < 0.001) were more common in surgically treated patients and blood analyses showed increased inflammation levels (white blood cell count: p < 0.001, CRP: p < 0.001) and onset of organ dysfunction (creatinine: p < 0.014, quick p < 0.001). Of the three trained algorithms, the tree-based methods (h2o random forest and cforest) showed the best performance. The algorithms classified patients, i.e., predicted surgery, with a median AUC ROC of 0.81 and 0.79 and AUC PRC of 0.56 in test sets.A proof-of-concept was achieved with the development of an ML model for predicting timely surgical therapy for acute abdomen. The ML algorithm can be a valuable tool in decision-making. Especially in the context of heavily used medical resources, the algorithm can help to use these scarce resources more effectively. Technological progress, especially regarding artificial intelligence, increasingly enables evidence-based approaches in surgery but requires a strictly interdisciplinary approach. In the future, the use and handling of ML should be integrated into surgical training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Henn
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Hatterscheidt
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anshupa Sahu
- Institute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas Buness
- Institute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jonas Dohmen
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Arensmeyer
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Philipp Feodorovici
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Nils Sommer
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Joachim Schmidt
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Helios Hospital Bonn Rhein-Sieg, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jörg C Kalff
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hanno Matthaei
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Motazedian G, Aryanpoor P, Rahmanian E, Abiri S, Kalani N, Hatami N, Bagherian F, Etezadpour M, Farzaneh R, Maleki F, Foroughian M, Ghaedi M. Incidence of Pediatric Perforated Appendicitis during the COVID-19 Pandemic; a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. ARCHIVES OF ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2022; 10:e3. [PMID: 35072092 PMCID: PMC8771157 DOI: 10.22037/aaem.v10i1.1421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 has affected the pattern of referral to medical centers and quarantine against COVID-19 might delay referral and management of surgical emergencies. This study aimed to compare the pooled event rate of pediatric perforated appendicitis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This was a systematic review and meta-analysis study based on the PRISMA guidelines. Scopus, Web of Sciences, and PubMed databases were searched for studies reporting the rate of perforated appendicitis based on the post-appendectomy observations or imaging methods. The Egger bias test and funnel plot were used to detect and depict publication bias. Statistical analysis was performed in Comprehensive Meta-analysis package version 3. RESULTS Twelve studies were eligible for inclusion in our study. The pooled prevalence of pediatric perforated appendicitis in the pre-COVID era was 28.5% (CI95%: 28.3 to 28.7%) with a heterogeneity of 99%. In the COVID era, the event rate proportion was 39.4% (CI95%: 36.6 to 42.3%) with a heterogeneity of 99%. There was a significant difference in the subgroup analysis within the pre-COVID and COVID era (P<0.001), showing a higher perforation rate in the COVID era. CONCLUSION Our study showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of perforated appendicitis has significantly increased in comparison to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholamreza Motazedian
- Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Poorya Aryanpoor
- Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Ehsan Rahmanian
- Research center for social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Samaneh Abiri
- Research center for social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Navid Kalani
- Research center for social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Naser Hatami
- Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Farhad Bagherian
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Mohammad Etezadpour
- Surgery department, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Roohie Farzaneh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Maleki
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mahdi Foroughian
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Ghaedi
- Plastic Surgery department, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
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Berger AA, Liu Y, Jin K, Kaneb A, Welschmeyer A, Cornett EM, Kaye AD, Imani F, Khademi SH, Varrassi G, Viswanath O, Urits I. Efficacy of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Chronic Abdominal Pain. Anesth Pain Med 2021; 11:e113027. [PMID: 34336622 PMCID: PMC8314076 DOI: 10.5812/aapm.113027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Context Abdominal pain is a widespread complaint and is one of the common reasons leading patients to seek medical care, either in emergency situations or with their primary providers. While acute abdominal pain is a better defined, usually surgical condition, chronic abdominal pain requires longer, typically lifelong, therapy. Chronic abdominal pain may also present with acute flares and complications. Here we review seminal and novel evidence discussing the use of acupuncture in the treatment of abdominal pain, indications, and conditions that may benefit from this approach. Evidence Acquisition Chronic abdominal pain is a common complaint causing significant morbidity and disability and has a hefty price tag attached. Recent studies show it may be prevalent in as much as 25% of the adult population. It is defined as three episodes of severe abdominal pain over the course of three months. Chronic abdominal pain could be the result of chronicity of acute pain or of chronic pain syndromes, most commonly IBD syndromes and IBS. While a plethora of treatments exists for both conditions, these treatments usually fall short of complete symptom control, and there is a need for complementary measures to curb disability and increase the quality of life in these patients. Acupuncture is a form of integrative medicine that has long been used in Chinese and traditional medicine, based on the rebalancing of the patient’s Qi, or Ying/Yang balance. It has been shown to be effective in treating several other conditions, and novel evidence may expand its use into other fields as well. Clinical trials studying acupuncture in chronic pain conditions have been promising, and recent evidence supports the use of abdominal pain in chronic abdominal pain conditions as well. Though not curative, acupuncture is a complementary approach that helps reduce symptoms and improved quality of life. Conclusions Chronic abdominal pain is a widespread condition, mostly affected by the IBS and IBD spectrum. Etiologies are still being studied for these conditions, and while novel treatment approaches are absolute game changers for these patients, many continue to experience some level of symptoms and disability. Acupuncture may provide further alleviation of these symptoms in select patients, thus improving quality of life, reducing disability, and saving healthcare dollars. It is a largely safe and inexpensive method that may significantly contribute to the quality of life of selected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amnon A. Berger
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Corresponding Author: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Yao Liu
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Jin
- LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Alicia Kaneb
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington DC, USA
| | | | - Elyse M. Cornett
- LSU Health Shreveport, Department of Anesthesiology, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Alan David Kaye
- LSU Health Shreveport, Department of Anesthesiology, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Farnad Imani
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed-Hosein Khademi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Corresponding Author: Department of Anesthesiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | | | - Omar Viswanath
- LSU Health Shreveport, Department of Anesthesiology, Shreveport, LA, USA
- University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Department of Anesthesiology, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Creighton University School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Omaha, NE, USA
- Valley Anesthesiology and Pain Consultants – Envision Physician Services, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ivan Urits
- LSU Health Shreveport, Department of Anesthesiology, Shreveport, LA, USA
- Southcoast Health, Southcoast Physicians Group Pain Medicine, Wareham, MA, USA
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Becker AK, Auditore A, Pischetsrieder M, Messlinger K, Fleming T, Reeh PW, Sauer SK. Reactive dicarbonyl compounds cause Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide release and synergize with inflammatory conditions in mouse skin and peritoneum. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:6330-6343. [PMID: 32198181 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The plasmas of diabetic or uremic patients and of those receiving peritoneal dialysis treatment have increased levels of the glucose-derived dicarbonyl metabolites like methylglyoxal (MGO), glyoxal (GO), and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG). The elevated dicarbonyl levels can contribute to the development of painful neuropathies. Here, we used stimulated immunoreactive Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (iCGRP) release as a measure of nociceptor activation, and we found that each dicarbonyl metabolite induces a concentration-, TRPA1-, and Ca2+-dependent iCGRP release. MGO, GO, and 3-DG were about equally potent in the millimolar range. We hypothesized that another dicarbonyl, 3,4-dideoxyglucosone-3-ene (3,4-DGE), which is present in peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions after heat sterilization, activates nociceptors. We also showed that at body temperatures 3,4-DGE is formed from 3-DG and that concentrations of 3,4-DGE in the micromolar range effectively induced iCGRP release from isolated murine skin. In a novel preparation of the isolated parietal peritoneum PD fluid or 3,4-DGE alone, at concentrations found in PD solutions, stimulated iCGRP release. We also tested whether inflammatory tissue conditions synergize with dicarbonyls to induce iCGRP release from isolated skin. Application of MGO together with bradykinin or prostaglandin E2 resulted in an overadditive effect on iCGRP release, whereas MGO applied at a pH of 5.2 resulted in reduced release, probably due to an MGO-mediated inhibition of transient receptor potential (TRP) V1 receptors. These results indicate that several reactive dicarbonyls activate nociceptors and potentiate inflammatory mediators. Our findings underline the roles of dicarbonyls and TRPA1 receptors in causing pain during diabetes or renal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Becker
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsstrasse 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andrea Auditore
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Food Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Strasse 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Monika Pischetsrieder
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Food Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Strasse 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Karl Messlinger
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsstrasse 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Fleming
- Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, INF 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Eberhard-Karls-University of Tuebingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 10, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Peter W Reeh
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsstrasse 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Susanne K Sauer
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsstrasse 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Marasco G, Verardi FM, Eusebi LH, Guarino S, Romiti A, Vestito A, Bazzoli F, Cavazza M, Zagari RM. Diagnostic imaging for acute abdominal pain in an Emergency Department in Italy. Intern Emerg Med 2019; 14:1147-1153. [PMID: 31493199 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-019-02189-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Imaging plays a key role in the diagnostic work-up of patients with non-traumatic acute abdominal pain (AAP) in emergency department (ED). We aimed to evaluate the use and diagnostic performance of imaging techniques in adult patients with AAP in an ED in Italy. Patients with non-traumatic AAP admitted at the ED of S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital of Bologna (Italy) from the 1st to the 30th November 2016 were included. Demographic and clinical data, data on radiological procedures and discharge diagnosis were collected. Sensitivity and specificity for detecting acute diseases were assessed using the discharge diagnosis from the ED as reference standard. Of the 578 patients (female 52.8%, mean age 51.3 years) admitted to the ED for AAP, 433 (74.9%) underwent abdominal imaging. The most frequent techniques used were abdominal plain radiography and ultrasonography (US), performed in 38.4% and 37.9% of patients, respectively, followed by computed tomography (CT) in 28% of patients. Plain radiography yielded a sensitivity of 28% and specificity of 91.1%; the sensitivity increased to 79.4% in patients with small bowel obstruction. Ultrasonography's sensitivity and specificity were 61.8% and 98.4%, respectively; the sensitivity of US reached 85.2% and 90% in patients with acute cholecystitis/biliary colic and urolithiasis, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of CT were 87.8% and 92.9%, respectively. Plain radiography is still overused in the diagnostic work-up of AAP in ED in Italy, despite its unsatisfactory sensitivity. Ultrasonography and CT has a higher sensitivity and should be used as first-level imaging in most patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Marasco
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Verardi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Leonardo Henry Eusebi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sonia Guarino
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romiti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Amanda Vestito
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Franco Bazzoli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mario Cavazza
- Emergency Department, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rocco Maurizio Zagari
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
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Velissaris D, Karanikolas M, Pantzaris N, Kipourgos G, Bampalis V, Karanikola K, Fafliora E, Apostolopoulou C, Gogos C. Acute Abdominal Pain Assessment in the Emergency Department: The Experience of a Greek University Hospital. J Clin Med Res 2017; 9:987-993. [PMID: 29163731 PMCID: PMC5687902 DOI: 10.14740/jocmr3206w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acute abdominal pain (AAP) is a common symptom in the emergency department (ED). Because abdominal pain can be caused by a wide spectrum of underlying pathology, evaluation of abdominal pain in the ED requires a comprehensive approach, based on patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests and imaging studies. The aim of this study was to investigate predictive factors for admission to the hospital in patients who presented to the ED with AAP as the main symptom. Methods This prospective observational study enrolled 125 patients who presented with AAP in the ED of the Patras University Hospital in western Greece. The sample of patients who enrolled in the study was representative of patients who receive care in this academic institution. All patients underwent clinical examination, laboratory testing and radiological assessment. Clinical and laboratory data were analyzed in an attempt to identify clinical or laboratory factors predicting hospital admission. Results Based on clinical, laboratory and radiologic evaluation, 37.6% of patients enrolled in the study were admitted to the hospital, whereas 62.4% were not admitted. Compared to patients who were not admitted, patients admitted to the hospital had higher age and significantly higher inflammatory markers, white blood count and C-reactive protein (CRP). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal imaging findings (odds ratio (OR) = 6.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.11 - 19.77, P < 0.001) and elevated serum CRP levels (OR = 6.24, 95% CI: 2.16 - 18.03, P < 0.001) were significant predictive factors for hospital admission. Conclusions Assessment of AAP remains a challenging problem in the ED. Comprehensive history combined with detailed clinical examination, appropriate laboratory testing and radiologic imaging facilitates effective assessment of patients who present in the ED with AAP and guides the decision to admit patients to the hospital for further care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Velissaris
- Internal Medicine Department, University of Patras, University Hospital of Patras, Greece
| | - Menelaos Karanikolas
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63144, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Charalampos Gogos
- Internal Medicine Department, University of Patras, University Hospital of Patras, Greece
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Cervellin G, Mora R, Ticinesi A, Meschi T, Comelli I, Catena F, Lippi G. Epidemiology and outcomes of acute abdominal pain in a large urban Emergency Department: retrospective analysis of 5,340 cases. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2016; 4:362. [PMID: 27826565 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2016.09.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute abdominal pain (AAP) accounts for 7-10% of all Emergency Department (ED) visits. Nevertheless, the epidemiology of AAP in the ED is scarcely known. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology and the outcomes of AAP in an adult population admitted to an urban ED. METHODS We made a retrospective analysis of all records of ED visits for AAP during the year 2014. All the patients with repeated ED admissions for AAP within 5 and 30 days were scrutinized. Five thousand three hundred and forty cases of AAP were analyzed. RESULTS The mean age was 49 years. The most frequent causes were nonspecific abdominal pain (NSAP) (31.46%), and renal colic (31.18%). Biliary colic/cholecystitis, and diverticulitis were more prevalent in patients aged >65 years (13.17% vs. 5.95%, and 7.28% vs. 2.47%, respectively). Appendicitis (i.e., 4.54% vs. 1.47%) and renal colic (34.48% vs. 20.84%) were more frequent in patients aged <65 years. NSAP was the most common cause in both age classes. Renal colic was the most frequent cause of ED admission in men, whereas NSAP was more prevalent in women. Urinary tract infection was higher in women. Overall, 885 patients (16.57%) were hospitalized. Four hundred and eighty-five patients had repeated ED visits throughout the study period. Among these, 302 patients (6.46%) were readmitted within 30 days, whereas 187 patients (3.82%) were readmitted within 5 days. Renal colic was the first cause for ED readmission, followed by NSAP. In 13 cases readmitted to the ED within 5 days, and in 16 cases readmitted between 5-30 days the diagnosis was changed. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that AAP represented 5.76% of total ED visits. Two conditions (i.e., NSAP and renal colic) represented >60% of all causes. A large use of active clinical observations during ED stay (52% of our patients) lead to a negligible percentage of changing diagnosis at the second visit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Riccardo Mora
- Postgraduate Emergency Medicine School, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Ticinesi
- Postgraduate Emergency Medicine School, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Tiziana Meschi
- Postgraduate Emergency Medicine School, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ivan Comelli
- Emergency Department, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Fausto Catena
- Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lippi
- Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Caporale N, Morselli-Labate AM, Nardi E, Cogliandro R, Cavazza M, Stanghellini V. Acute abdominal pain in the emergency department of a university hospital in Italy. United European Gastroenterol J 2015; 4:297-304. [PMID: 27087960 DOI: 10.1177/2050640615606012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute abdominal pain (AAP) is one of the most common causes of referral to an emergency department (ED), but information about its impact is limited. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this article are to define the prevalence of AAP among ED visits in a large university hospital and analyze its main clinical features. METHODS All patients admitted at the Sant'Orsola, Malpighi University Hospital of Bologna ED on 12 a priori selected sample days in 2013 were included. General data were recorded for each patient. A total of 192 clinical variables were recorded for each patient with abdominal pain. RESULTS During the observation period the ED assisted 2623 patients with a daily admission rate of 219 ± 20 (mean ± SD). Of these, 239 patients complained of AAP as their chief complaint at entry (prevalence = 9.1%). AAP prevalence was significantly higher in females than in males (10.4% vs. 7.8%; OR = 1.37; p = 0.021) as well as in foreign over Italian patients (13.2% vs. 8.5%; OR = 1.64; p = 0.007). The most frequent ED operative diagnoses were non-specific abdominal pain (n = 86, 36.0%) and gastrointestinal (GI) tract-related pain (n = 79, 33.1%; n = 19 upper GI, n = 60 lower GI). CONCLUSIONS AAP is a common cause of referral at EDs. Despite technological advances, non-specific abdominal pain is still the main operative diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Caporale
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Elena Nardi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rosanna Cogliandro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mario Cavazza
- Emergency department of Sant'Orsola, Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Stanghellini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Abstract
Acute abdominal pain represents the cardinal symptom of a large number of intra-abdominal pathologies. Because of multiple organ systems, varied pathology from life threatening to benign, and differences in presentation related to sex and age, identifying a final diagnosis is a challenge. The clinician’s goal for patients with acute abdominal pain is to rapidly identify whether the underlying cause requires an urgent or immediate surgical intervention. By developing a systematic approach to evaluating patients with abdominal pain, clinicians can generate a differential diagnosis to ensure appropriate treatment and improved patient outcomes. The purpose of this article is to provide clinicians with a framework for evaluating the complaint of acute abdominal pain and recognizing patients who require expedited evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen F. Brown
- Helen F. Brown is Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Department, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD 21401 . Lynn Kelso is Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Nursing, Lexington
| | - Lynn Kelso
- Helen F. Brown is Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Department, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD 21401 . Lynn Kelso is Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Nursing, Lexington
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Franke DDH, Davis EG, Woods DR, Johnson RK, Miller FB, Franklin GA, Jortani SA. Catastrophic gastrointestinal injury due to battery acid ingestion. J Emerg Med 2008; 40:276-9. [PMID: 19111425 DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2007] [Revised: 12/07/2007] [Accepted: 12/20/2007] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acids account for 20% of all chemical exposures through various routes. Caustic acids such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acid are common ingredients in many household and industrial products. Due to the corrosive properties of these substances, tissue injury caused by oral exposure can lead to severe esophageal and gastrointestinal burns. CASE REPORT We report a case of a patient presenting with severe acidosis, who required multiple laparoscopic evaluations to assess various gastrointestinal tract injuries and who ultimately underwent total gastrectomy. The diagnosis was made primarily based on the arterial blood gas and esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings, as well as the pathological examinations of various biopsied and resected tissues showing hemorrhagic necrosis of the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel. This patient eventually admitted to having ingested an unspecified amount of battery acid. CONCLUSIONS Collaborative efforts by Emergency Medicine, Pathology, and General Surgery services are required for timely diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients after caustic acid exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna D H Franke
- Forensic Toxicology Program, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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