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Hwang S, Chung HJ, Park JW, Lee EJ, Lee HN, Kim JH, Jue JH, Choi YH, Jung JY. Factors contributing to uncertainty in paediatric abdominal ultrasound reports in the paediatric emergency department. BMC Emerg Med 2023; 23:120. [PMID: 37817121 PMCID: PMC10566031 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-023-00892-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abdominal pain, which is a common cause of children presenting to the paediatric emergency department (PED), is often evaluated by ultrasonography (US). However, uncertainty in US reports may necessitate additional imaging. OBJECTIVE In this study, we evaluated factors contributing to uncertainty in paediatric abdominal US reports in the PED. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective cohort study included children younger than 18 years of age who underwent abdominal US in the PED of the study hospital between January 2017 and December 2019. After exclusion, the researchers manually reviewed and classified all US reports as 'certain' or 'uncertain'. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors contributing to uncertain reports. RESULTS In total, 1006 patients were included in the final analysis., 796 patients were tagged as having certain reports, and 210 as having uncertain reports. Children with uncertain reports had a significantly higher rate of undergoing an additional computed tomography (CT) scan (31.0% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001) and a longer PED median length of stay (321.0 (Interquartile range (IQR); 211.3-441.5) minutes vs. 284.5 (IQR; 191.8-439.5) minutes, p = 0.042). After logistic regression, US performed by a radiology resident (odds ratio, 5.01; 95% confidence interval, 3.63-7.15) was the most significant factor contributing to uncertainty in paediatric abdominal US reports followed by obesity and age. CONCLUSION Several factors contribute to uncertainty in paediatric abdominal US reports. Uncertain radiological reports increase the likelihood of additional CT scans. Measures to improve the clarity of radiological reports must be considered to improve the quality of care for children visiting the PED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyun Hwang
- Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei School of Medicine, Severance Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jung Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, Konkuk University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joong Wan Park
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui Jun Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha Ni Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hee Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jie Hee Jue
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hun Choi
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yun Jung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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Tintor G, Jukić M, Šupe-Domić D, Jerončić A, Pogorelić Z. Diagnostic Accuracy of Leucine-Rich α-2-Glycoprotein 1 as a Non-Invasive Salivary Biomarker in Pediatric Appendicitis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076043. [PMID: 37047015 PMCID: PMC10094467 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) in saliva as a novel biomarker for acute appendicitis in the pediatric population. From October 2021 to June 2022, 92 children aged 5 to 17 years who presented with acute abdomen and suspected acute appendicitis were enrolled in this prospective study. The parameters documented included demographic and clinical information, as well as operative and postoperative data. Patients were divided into two groups: those with acute appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 46) and those without appendicitis (n = 46). The total white blood cell (WBC) count, percent of neutrophils, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and salivary LRG1 were compared between groups. A commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) LRG kit was used to measure the LRG levels. The median salivary LRG1 level was significantly higher in the group of children with pathohistologically confirmed acute appendicitis compared to the control group: 233.45 ng/mL (IQR 114.9, 531.2) vs. 55.95 ng/mL (IQR 51.5, 117.9), p < 0.001. LRG1 had an overall good receiver-operator characteristic area under the curve of 0.85 (95% CI 0.76-0.92; p < 0.001). The optimal LRG1 cutoff with best separation between acute appendicitis and the controls was >352.6 ng/mL (95% CI from >270.7 to >352.6). Although the specificity was 100% at this cutoff, the sensitivity for identifying appendicitis was 36%. In addition, a significant difference was found between groups in the laboratory values of all inflammatory markers tested: WBC, absolute neutrophil count, and CRP (p < 0.001 for all). Although LRG1 in saliva showed a good AUC parameter and significantly higher values in patients with acute appendicitis compared to the controls, its usefulness in the patient population who present at emergency departments with abdominal pain is debatable. Future studies should focus on investigating its diagnostic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Tintor
- Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
| | - Miro Jukić
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
| | - Daniela Šupe-Domić
- Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
| | - Ana Jerončić
- Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
| | - Zenon Pogorelić
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21 000 Split, Croatia
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Tintor G, Jukić M, Šupe-Domić D, Jerončić A, Pogorelić Z. Diagnostic Utility of Serum Leucine-Rich α-2-Glycoprotein 1 for Acute Appendicitis in Children. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12072455. [PMID: 37048540 PMCID: PMC10094962 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12072455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic utility of serum leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) in pediatric patients with acute abdominal pain, admitted to the emergency surgical unit, in order to make a prompt and accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Pediatric patients older than 5 years of age who presented to the emergency department from 15 October 2021 to 30 June 2022 with acute abdominal pain and suspected acute appendicitis were prospectively recruited in the study. Demographic and clinical data, as well as operative and postoperative data, were recorded. A total of 92 patients were equally distributed into two groups: children with acute appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and non-appendicitis patients, presenting with non-specific abdominal pain. LRG1 levels were determined using a commercially available LRG1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Serum LRG1 levels, as well as other inflammatory markers (white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) and absolute neutrophil count) were compared between groups. RESULTS The median level of LRG1 in serum was significantly higher in the group of children with pathohistologically confirmed acute appendicitis than in the control group, at 350.3 µg/mL (interquartile range (IQR) 165.2-560.3) and 25.7 µg/mL (IQR 14.7-36.8) (p < 0.001), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for LRG1 from serum was 1.0 (95% CI 0.96-1.00; p < 0.001) and the value of >69.1 µg/mL was found to perfectly separate acute appendicitis cases from controls. Additionally, as expected, each of the examined laboratory inflammatory markers provided a significantly higher values in the acute appendicitis group compared to the control group: WBC 14.6 × 109/L (IQR 12.7, 18.7) vs. 7.0 × 109/L (IQR 5.4, 9.0) (p < 0.001), CRP 16.3 mg/dL (IQR 6.9, 50.4) vs. 2.2 mg/dL (IQR 2, 2) (p < 0.001) and absolute neutrophil count 84.6% (IQR 79.5, 89.0) vs. 59.5% (IQR 51.5, 68.6) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS LRG1 in the serum was found to be a promising novel biomarker, with excellent differentiation of acute appendicitis from non-appendicitis cases in children presenting with non-specific abdominal pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Tintor
- Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Miro Jukić
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Daniela Šupe-Domić
- Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Health Studies, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Ana Jerončić
- Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Zenon Pogorelić
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
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Wolfe C, Halsey-Nichols M, Ritter K, McCoin N. Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department: How to Select the Correct Imaging for Diagnosis. Open Access Emerg Med 2022; 14:335-345. [PMID: 35899220 PMCID: PMC9309319 DOI: 10.2147/oaem.s342724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abdominal pain is a common presenting complaint in the emergency department, and utilization of diagnostic imaging is often a key tool in determining its etiology. Plain radiography has limited utility in this population. Computed tomography (CT) is the imaging modality of choice for undifferentiated abdominal pain. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful in specific scenarios, primarily in pediatrics and pregnancy, and offer the benefit of eliminating ionizing radiation risk of CT. Guidance for imaging selection is determined by location of pain, special patient considerations, and specific suspected etiologies. Expert guidance is offered by the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria® which outlines imaging options based on location of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Wolfe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, TriStar Skyline Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Maglin Halsey-Nichols
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kathryn Ritter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Nicole McCoin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Leventer-Roberts M, Lev Bar-Or R, Gofer I, Rosenbaum Z, Hoshen M, Feldman B, Balicer R. Choosing Wisely: Determining performance of unjustified imaging in a large healthcare system. Int J Clin Pract 2021; 75:e13644. [PMID: 32748452 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.13644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The Choosing Wisely Campaign identifies procedures and treatments that lack clinical justification for routine use according to expert opinion and evidence-based medicine. This study describes the rates and features of two such examples over a 10-year period. METHODS This is a cross-sectional rolling cohort study between 2008 and 2017 in Clalit Health Services, the largest healthcare delivery system in Israel, with seven main hospitals and over 4.5 million members nationwide. All adult members who visited a Clalit Emergency Department (ED), and all children members who visited a Clalit ED for abdominal pain or appendicitis were eligible to be included in this study. Our measures were routine chest radiograph (CXR) in the context of pre-admission assessment for adults and abdominal computed tomography (CT) to rule out appendicitis for children. RESULTS Of the 3 689 869 adult visits without a clinical indication for a CXR, 9.1% or 337 058 of them received a chest radiograph. Of the 35 973 children visits for presumed appendicitis, 7.2% of them had no imaging performed, 82.3% had an ultrasound (US), 6.9% had an US followed by a CT, and 3.6% or 1293 of them received a CT. There were several independent risk factors such as BMI, hospital, sex, year and diagnosis that are associated with having imaging that is not clinically indicated. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this study found that diagnostic imaging practices are applied inconsistently by hospital and by population. Intervention efforts should be focused on subpopulations at greatest risk to further reduce exposure to such imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Leventer-Roberts
- Clalit Research Institute, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Ilan Gofer
- Clalit Research Institute, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | | | | | - Ran Balicer
- Clalit Research Institute, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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Patient Race/Ethnicity and Diagnostic Imaging Utilization in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review. J Am Coll Radiol 2020; 18:795-808. [PMID: 33385337 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Diagnostic imaging often is a critical contributor to clinical decision making in the emergency department (ED). Racial and ethnic disparities are widely reported in many aspects of health care, and several recent studies have reported a link between patient race/ethnicity and receipt of imaging in the ED. METHODS The authors conducted a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, searching three databases (PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) through July 2020 using keywords related to diagnostic imaging, race/ethnicity, and the ED setting, including both adult and pediatric populations and excluding studies that did not control for the important confounders of disease severity and insurance status. RESULTS The search strategy identified 7,313 articles, of which 5,668 underwent title and abstract screening and 238 full-text review, leaving 42 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Studies were predominately conducted in the United States (41), split between adult (13) and pediatric (17) populations or both (12), and spread across a variety of topics, mostly focusing on specific anatomic regions or disease processes. Most studies (30 of 42 [71.4%]) reported an association between Black, African American, Hispanic, or nonwhite race/ethnicity and decreased receipt of imaging. CONCLUSIONS Despite heterogeneity among studies, patient race/ethnicity is linked with receipt of diagnostic imaging in the ED. The strength and directionality of this association may differ by specific subpopulation and disease process, and more efforts to understand potential underlying factors are needed.
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Dhanjani S, Marrache M, Puvanesarajah V, Pakpoor J, Jain A. Annual Trends and Geographic Variation in the Utilization of Imaging in Pediatric Patients with Low Back Pain in the United States. World Neurosurg 2020; 146:e972-e978. [PMID: 33220471 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.11.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low back pain (LBP) is increasing in the pediatric population. Advanced imaging, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, performed for LBP imposes significant costs with little benefit. We investigated annual trends and demographic and geographic variation in spinal imaging for first-time pediatric presenters with LBP in primary care clinics. METHODS We queried a private administrative claims database for patients presenting with LBP who underwent plain radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging from 2011 to 2017. We used a Cochrane Armitage test of trend to determine significant annual variation in diagnostic imaging utilization during the study period. The χ2 test was used to determine demographic and geographic variation. RESULTS The study included 67,423 patients with mean age 15.2 ± 3 years. There was no significant change in radiography (34.8% in 2011 vs. 35.5% in 2017, P = 0.795) or computed tomography (1.6% in 2011 vs. 1.1% in 2017, P = 0.073), but there was a significant increase in magnetic resonance imaging (3.3% in 2011 vs. 4.5% in 2017, P = 0.017). Overall, there was no significant change in total imaging use (P = 0.895). Boys had higher rates of imaging compared with girls (40.2% vs. 35.6%, P < 0.001). Imaging rates significantly varied between regions across the United States (P < 0.001). The Midwest had the highest imaging rates (41%), while the Northeast had the lowest rates (31%). CONCLUSIONS There was significant demographic and geographic variation but no significant annual change in total diagnostic spinal imaging for pediatric patients with LBP between 2011 and 2017, with rates of advanced imaging remaining relatively low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraj Dhanjani
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Majd Marrache
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Varun Puvanesarajah
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jina Pakpoor
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Amit Jain
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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Attitudes and Opinions of Adolescent Females Regarding 2 Methods of Bladder Filling for Transabdominal Ultrasound: A Q-Sort Study. Pediatr Emerg Care 2020; 36:e460-e466. [PMID: 30335691 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Adolescent female patients who are not sexually active and who present to a pediatric emergency department with abdominal pain require a full bladder prior to transabdominal ultrasound. Procedures to fill the bladder are largely institution or provider dependent. We examined adolescent females' attitudes and opinions toward 2 common methods of bladder filling, intravenous fluid administration and transurethral Foley catheter placement, by means of a Q-sort study. METHODS Two convenience samples of adolescent female patients in the pediatric emergency department at an academic children's hospital participated in the study. In part 1, subjects underwent a semistructured interview to elicit their opinions regarding 2 methods of bladder filling: intravenous fluid or transurethral catheter. The summation of subject statements was then narrowed down to a final Q set of 25 statements. In part 2, a second sample of subjects independently arranged this Q set according to their own agreement or disagreement with each statement. Principal components analysis was conducted to examine factors or collections of statements representing a shared viewpoint and to describe commonalities. RESULTS Part 1 was completed with 9 subjects, and part 2 with 26 subjects. Factors revealed from the Q-sort data included acceptance of tests deemed medically necessary, desire for parental involvement, and a wish to minimize discomfort. Most adolescents aligned with 1 of these 3 factors. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent female patients varied in their attitudes and opinions regarding intravenous catheter hydration and Foley catheter placement for transabdominal ultrasound. Knowledge of adolescent viewpoints may help better inform practitioner-patient communication for this procedure.
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Utilization of computed tomography imaging in the pediatric emergency department. Pediatr Radiol 2020; 50:470-475. [PMID: 31807854 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-019-04564-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, there has been a movement toward more judicious use of computed tomography (CT) imaging in an attempt to limit exposure of pediatric patients to ionizing radiation. The Image Gently Alliance and like-minded movements began advocating for safe and high-quality pediatric imaging worldwide in the late 2000s. OBJECTIVE In the context of these efforts, we evaluate CT utilization rates in the pediatric emergency department at a major academic medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS We tracked utilization in several categories of CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) between July 2008 and June 2017 and compared them with utilization rates from 2000 to 2006. RESULTS A total of 4,955 pediatric patients underwent a total of 5,973 CT scans, 2,775 US studies and 293 MRI scans while in the pediatric emergency department during the 2008-2017 study period. We observed decreases in CT scans across all categories, ranging from a 19% decrease in abdominal CT to a 66% decrease in chest CT. Relatively greater decreases in CT scans were observed in patients younger than 3 years of age as compared to older children and adolescents. Abdominal and pelvic US increased. Brain MRI also increased over the final two years of the study. CONCLUSION CT utilization decreased throughout the 2008-2017 study period.
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Zhang X, Bellolio MF, Medrano-Gracia P, Werys K, Yang S, Mahajan P. Use of natural language processing to improve predictive models for imaging utilization in children presenting to the emergency department. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2019; 19:287. [PMID: 31888609 PMCID: PMC6937987 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-019-1006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between the medical imaging utilization and information related to patients' socioeconomic, demographic and clinical factors during the patients' ED visits; and to develop predictive models using these associated factors including natural language elements to predict the medical imaging utilization at pediatric ED. METHODS Pediatric patients' data from the 2012-2016 United States National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was included to build the models to predict the use of imaging in children presenting to the ED. Multivariable logistic regression models were built with structured variables such as temperature, heart rate, age, and unstructured variables such as reason for visit, free text nursing notes and combined data available at triage. NLP techniques were used to extract information from the unstructured data. RESULTS Of the 27,665 pediatric ED visits included in the study, 8394 (30.3%) received medical imaging in the ED, including 6922 (25.0%) who had an X-ray and 1367 (4.9%) who had a computed tomography (CT) scan. In the predictive model including only structured variables, the c-statistic was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.70-0.71) for any imaging use, 0.69 (95% CI: 0.68-0.70) for X-ray, and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.76-0.78) for CT. Models including only unstructured information had c-statistics of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.81-0.82) for any imaging use, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.82-0.83) for X-ray, and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.83-0.86) for CT scans. When both structured variables and free text variables were included, the c-statistics reached 0.82 (95% CI: 0.82-0.83) for any imaging use, 0.83 (95% CI: 0.83-0.84) for X-ray, and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.86-0.88) for CT. CONCLUSIONS Both CT and X-rays are commonly used in the pediatric ED with one third of the visits receiving at least one. Patients' socioeconomic, demographic and clinical factors presented at ED triage period were associated with the medical imaging utilization. Predictive models combining structured and unstructured variables available at triage performed better than models using structured or unstructured variables alone, suggesting the potential for use of NLP in determining resource utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Zhang
- Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, USA.
| | | | - Pau Medrano-Gracia
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Konrad Werys
- Oxford Centre for Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sheng Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. .,Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, USA.
| | - Prashant Mahajan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND More than half of children evaluated as outpatients for abdominal pain are diagnosed with constipation. X-ray use in this scenario is variable: less than 5% in clinic settings, greater than 70% in emergency departments. X-rays increase misdiagnosis rate, remain costly, and involve radiation exposure. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the use of plain radiographs by pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) providers in the diagnostic evaluation and management of pediatric constipation. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of PEM providers was performed. Survey participants were subscribers to the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine Listserv. To assess diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, participants were presented a case of pediatric constipation meeting Rome III clinical criteria. Participants also categorized frequency of x-ray use, reasons for obtaining, estimated diagnostic utility, and elements of institutional standard approach. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS Three hundred five of 1272 Listserv members (24%) responded. Ninety-nine percent elected to treat for constipation in a case meeting Rome III clinical criteria; one third (31%) would obtain plain radiographs for this same scenario. Plain radiographs were viewed as somewhat (59%) or minimally (29%) value-added in the evaluation of suspected pediatric constipation. Obtaining family buy-in (44%) was the most common reason for utilizing plain radiographs. Frequency of use varied across geographic regions and with participant and hospital characteristics. CONCLUSIONS This survey suggests that many PEM providers obtain radiographs to convince families of the diagnosis of constipation. This is not a viable management plan given the risks of radiation as well as costs. There remains room for improvement as we attempt to reduce use of radiation in the evaluation of common pediatric illnesses.
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Schrager JD, Patzer RE, Kim JJ, Pitts SR, Chokshi FH, Phillips JS, Zhang X. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Diagnostic Imaging Utilization During Adult Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2005 to 2014. J Am Coll Radiol 2019; 16:1036-1045. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Juliusson G, Thorvaldsdottir B, Kristjansson JM, Hannesson P. Diagnostic imaging trends in the emergency department: an extensive single-center experience. Acta Radiol Open 2019; 8:2058460119860404. [PMID: 31392034 PMCID: PMC6669846 DOI: 10.1177/2058460119860404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emergency Department imaging volume has increased significantly in North America and Asia. Purpose To assess Emergency Department imaging trends in a European center. Material and Methods The institutional radiological information system was queried for all computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance (MR) studies performed for the Emergency Department during 2002–2017. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to assess overall study rates and temporal trends in overall and after-hours imaging after adjusting for patient visitations. Results CT use increased significantly from 38/1000 visits to 108/1000 at the end of the observation by 5.5 new exams per 1000 visits/year (P < 0.0001). US use increased gradually at a rate of 1.2/1000 per year during 2002–2008 with an accelerated annual increase of 6.4/1000 in 2009–2011 (P < 0.0001) raising US rates from 7/1000 to 28/1000 visits per year with stable rates from 2012 onwards. After on-site MR became available in 2004, its use increased from 0.3/1000 to 7/1000 at a rate of 1.9/1000 visits per year in 2005–2009 (P < 0.0001) and remained stable from 2010. While there was a significant increase in after-hours imaging, growth remained proportional to the overall trend in the use of CT, MR, and night-time CT with the exception of a slight decrease in after-hour US in favor of standard working hours (P < 0.0001). Conclusion All modalities increased significantly in volume adjusted usage. US and MR rates have been stable since 2012 and 2010, respectively, after periods of increase while CT use continues to increase. Demand for after-hours imaging was mostly proportional to the overall trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Juliusson
- Department of Radiology, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | | | - Petur Hannesson
- Department of Radiology, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
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14
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Gurien LA, Smith SD, Dassinger MS, Burford JM, Tepas JJ, Crandall M. Suspected appendicitis pathway continues to lower CT rates in children two years after implementation. Am J Surg 2019; 218:716-721. [PMID: 31350004 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2019.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We implemented a protocol to evaluate pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis using ultrasound as the initial imaging modality. CT utilization rates and diagnostic accuracy were evaluated two years after pathway implementation. METHODS This was a retrospective observational study of patients <18 years evaluated for suspected appendicitis. CT rates were compared before and after implementation of the protocol, and monthly CT rates were calculated to assess trends in CT utilization. RESULTS CT use decreased significantly following pathway implementation from 94.2% (130/138) to 27.5% (78/284; p < 0.001). Linear regression of monthly CT utilization demonstrated that CT rates continued to trend down two years after pathway implementation. Adherence to the pathway was 89.8% (255/284). Negative appendectomy rate was 2.4% (2/85) in the post-pathway period. CONCLUSIONS Adherence to a pathway designed to evaluate pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis using ultrasound as the primary imaging modality has led to a sustained decrease in CT use without compromising diagnostic accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori A Gurien
- University of Arkansas, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot 837, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, 655 W 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL, 32209, USA.
| | - Samuel D Smith
- University of Arkansas, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot 837, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA
| | - Melvin S Dassinger
- University of Arkansas, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot 837, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Burford
- University of Arkansas, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot 837, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA
| | - Joseph J Tepas
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, 655 W 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL, 32209, USA
| | - Marie Crandall
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, 655 W 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL, 32209, USA
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15
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Zhang X, Kim J, Patzer RE, Pitts SR, Chokshi FH, Schrager JD. Advanced diagnostic imaging utilization during emergency department visits in the United States: A predictive modeling study for emergency department triage. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214905. [PMID: 30964899 PMCID: PMC6456195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emergency department (ED) crowding is associated with negative health outcomes, patient dissatisfaction, and longer length of stay (LOS). The addition of advanced diagnostic imaging (ADI), namely CT, ultrasound (U/S), and MRI to ED encounter work up is a predictor of longer length of stay. Earlier and improved prediction of patients’ need for advanced imaging may improve overall ED efficiency. The aim of the study was to detect the association between ADI utilization and the structured and unstructured information immediately available during ED triage, and to develop and validate models to predict utilization of ADI during an ED encounter. Methods We used the United States National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data from 2009 to 2014 to examine which sociodemographic and clinical factors immediately available at ED triage were associated with the utilization of CT, U/S, MRI, and multiple ADI during a patient’s ED stay. We used natural language processing (NLP) topic modeling to incorporate free-text reason for visit data available at time of ED triage in addition to other structured patient data to predict the use of ADI using multivariable logistic regression models. Results Among the 139,150 adult ED visits from a national probability sample of hospitals across the U.S, 21.9% resulted in ADI use, including 16.8% who had a CT, 3.6% who had an ultrasound, 0.4% who had an MRI, and 1.2% of the population who had multiple types of ADI. The c-statistic of the predictive models was greater than or equal to 0.78 for all imaging outcomes, and the addition of text-based reason for visit information improved the accuracy of all predictive models. Conclusions Patient information immediately available during ED triage can accurately predict the eventual use of advanced diagnostic imaging during an ED visit. Such models have the potential to be incorporated into the ED triage workflow in order to more rapidly identify patients who may require advanced imaging during their ED stay and assist with medical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Zhang
- University of Michigan School of Nursing, Applied Biostatics Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Joyce Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Rachel E. Patzer
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Health Services Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Stephen R. Pitts
- Health Services Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Falgun H. Chokshi
- Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Justin D. Schrager
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Kim SK, Jung JH, Lee JH, Jung JY, Kwon H, Paek SH, Kwak YH, Kim DK. The difference of Use of CT in the general versus pediatric emergency departments for adolescent patients in the same tertiary hospital. Clin Exp Emerg Med 2019; 6:19-24. [PMID: 30786703 PMCID: PMC6453689 DOI: 10.15441/ceem.17.274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The use of computed tomography (CT) in pediatric patients has decreased since the association between radiation and cancer risk has been reported. However, in adolescent patients being treated as adult patients, there has been a high incidence of CT use in emergency departments (EDs). Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the CT use in adolescent patients with complaints of headache or abdominal pain in the general and pediatric EDs of the same hospital. METHODS A retrospective chart review of patients aged 15 to 18 years, who presented with headache or abdominal pain at the general and pediatric EDs of Seoul National University Hospital from January 2010 to December 2014, was conducted. RESULTS A total of 407 adolescent patients with complaints of headache and 980 with abdominal pain were included in this study. The adolescent patients in the general ED were more likely to undergo CT scans than those in the pediatric ED, with both patients having headache (42.4% vs. 20.5%, respectively, P<0.001) and abdominal pain (29.0% vs. 18.4%, respectively, P<0.001). There was no statistical difference in the rates of positive CT findings between the general and pediatric EDs. The frequency of visits to the general ED was associated with high rates of CT use in adolescent patients with complaints of headache (odds ratio, 3.95; 95% confidence interval, 2.01 to 7.77) and those with abdominal pain (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 2.64). CONCLUSION The ED setting influences the use of CT on adolescent patients, and a child-friendly environment could reduce the radiation risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seul Ki Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Hee Jung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Jin Hee Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Jae Yun Jung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyuksool Kwon
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - So Hyun Paek
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Ho Kwak
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Do Kyun Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
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17
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Yap TL, Fan JD, Chen Y, Ho MF, Choo CS, Allen J, Low Y, Jacobsen AS, Nah SA. A novel noninvasive appendicitis score with a urine biomarker. J Pediatr Surg 2019; 54:91-96. [PMID: 30391151 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2018.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of our study was to develop an appendicitis score incorporating a urine biomarker, Leucine rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG), for evaluation of children with abdominal pain. METHODS From January to August 2017 we prospectively enrolled children aged 4-16 years old admitted for suspected appendicitis. Urine samples for LRG analysis were obtained preoperatively and quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) after correction for patient hydration status. The diagnosis of appendicitis was based on operative findings and histology. Logistic regression was used to identify prospective predictors. RESULTS A total of 148 patients were recruited, of which 42(28.4%) were confirmed appendicitis. Our Appendicitis Urinary Biomarker (AuB) model incorporated urine LRG with 3 clinical predictors: 'constant pain', 'right iliac fossa tenderness', 'pain on percussion'. Area under the ROC curve for AuB was 0.82 versus 0.78 for the Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) on the same cohort of patients. A model-calculated risk score of <0.15 is interpreted as low risk of appendicitis. Sensitivity for the AuB at this cutoff was 97.6%, specificity 37.7%, negative predictive value 97.6%, positive predictive value 38.3%, and negative likelihood ratio 0.06. CONCLUSION The noninvasive AuB score appears promising as a diagnostic tool for excluding appendicitis in children without the need for blood sampling. TYPE OF STUDY Study of diagnostic test. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III.
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Affiliation(s)
- Te-Lu Yap
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, Singapore.
| | | | - Yong Chen
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Candy Sc Choo
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, Singapore
| | - John Allen
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Yee Low
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Shireen Anne Nah
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, Singapore
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18
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Implementation of an Electronic Clinical Decision Support Tool for Pediatric Appendicitis Within a Hospital Network. Pediatr Emerg Care 2018; 34:10-16. [PMID: 28277414 PMCID: PMC5591754 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Computed tomography (CT) has been widely used in the evaluation of children with suspected appendicitis, but concerns about ionizing radiation have increased interest in ultrasound for these patients. We sought to assess the effectiveness of an appendicitis electronic clinical decision support (E-CDS) system in increasing ultrasound and decreasing CT use in children evaluated in emergency departments (EDs) for suspected appendicitis. METHODS This was a preintervention and postintervention analysis of an E-CDS implemented into an electronic health record system shared by an academic, tertiary-care children's hospital and a community hospital. The tool consisted of a structured order set with embedded clinical advice and a link to a Web site. Emergency department patients aged 3 to 18 years with suspected appendicitis were reviewed retrospectively. Imaging use was assessed 3 months before and 6 months after implementation of the intervention. RESULTS Three hundred twenty-seven patients were identified, 211 at postintervention; 80% were seen in the community ED. Among community ED patients with imaging, ultrasound use increased (36%-51%, P = 0.049), and CT scan use decreased (81%-66%, P = 0.044) in the postintervention period, with no change in complications or safety outcomes. No difference was found in ultrasound rate (100%-97%, P = 1.000) or CT scan rate (13%-10%, P = 1.000) among children's ED patients with imaging. CONCLUSIONS An E-CDS can effectively decrease CT scanning and increase use of ultrasound in children with suspected appendicitis in a community hospital ED. Electronic clinical decision support may be an effective method of disseminating pediatric best practices from a children's hospital to affiliated community EDs.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE The use of abdominal computed tomography (ACT) for nontraumatic abdominal pain in the pediatric emergency department is increasing to a remarkable extent, and every effort should be made to select patients who would benefit from ACT. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and laboratory predictors of positive CT yield in pediatric patients with nontraumatic abdominal pain. METHODS The medical records of 739 pediatric patients who, between January 2009 and February 2014, underwent ACT for nontraumatic abdominal pain at the emergency department were reviewed retrospectively. These patients were divided into 2 groups: a right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain group and a non-RLQ pain group. The radiology reports were reviewed to determine ACT diagnoses. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to elicit independent predictors of positive ACT yield. Equations predicting the probability of positive ACT diagnosis were deduced from the regression equation in both groups. RESULTS In the RLQ pain group, the most frequent ACT diagnosis was acute appendicitis, and in the non-RLQ pain group, enteritis was the most frequent diagnosis. In the RLQ pain group, sex, leukocytosis, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and elevated C-reactive protein were significant independent predictors for positive ACT diagnosis. The number of synchronous predictor was significantly related to the proportion of positive ACT diagnosis. In the non-RLQ pain group, leukocytosis was the only significant predictor in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS Factors predicting positive CT yield were sex, leukocytosis, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and elevated C-reactive protein in the RLQ pain group and leukocytosis in the non-RLQ pain group.
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20
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Niles LM, Goyal MK, Badolato GM, Chamberlain JM, Cohen JS. US Emergency Department Trends in Imaging for Pediatric Nontraumatic Abdominal Pain. Pediatrics 2017; 140:peds.2017-0615. [PMID: 28916590 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2017-0615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe national emergency department (ED) trends in computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound imaging for the evaluation of pediatric nontraumatic abdominal pain from 2007 through 2014. METHODS We used data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to measure trends in CT and ultrasound use among children with nontraumatic abdominal pain. We performed multivariable logistic regression to measure the strength of the association of ED type (pediatric versus general ED) with CT and ultrasound use adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS Of an estimated 21.1 million ED visits for nontraumatic abdominal pain, 14.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.2%-16.0%) had CT imaging only, 10.9% (95% CI, 9.7%-12.1%) had ultrasound imaging only, and 1.9% (95% CI, 1.4%-2.4%) received both CT and ultrasound. The overall use of CT and ultrasound did not significantly change over the study period (P trend .63 and .90, respectively). CT use was lower among children treated in pediatric EDs compared with general EDs (adjusted odds ratio 0.34; 95% CI, 0.17-0.69). Conversely, ultrasound use was higher among children treated in pediatric EDs compared with general EDs (adjusted odds ratio 2.14; 95% CI, 1.29-3.55). CONCLUSIONS CT imaging for pediatric patients with nontraumatic abdominal pain has plateaued since 2007 after the steady increase seen in the preceding 9 years. Among this population, an increased likelihood of CT imaging was demonstrated in general EDs compared with pediatric EDs, in which there was a higher likelihood of ultrasound imaging. Dissemination of pediatric-focused radiology protocols to general EDs may help optimize radiation exposure in children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monika K Goyal
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia; and.,Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Gia M Badolato
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - James M Chamberlain
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia; and.,Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Joanna S Cohen
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia; and .,Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
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21
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Benabbas R, Hanna M, Shah J, Sinert R. Diagnostic Accuracy of History, Physical Examination, Laboratory Tests, and Point-of-care Ultrasound for Pediatric Acute Appendicitis in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Acad Emerg Med 2017; 24:523-551. [PMID: 28214369 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical emergency in children. Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial but challenging due to atypical presentations and the inherent difficulty of obtaining a reliable history and physical examination in younger children. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the utility of history, physical examination, laboratory tests, Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) and Emergency Department Point-of-Care Ultrasound (ED-POCUS) in the diagnosis of AA in ED pediatric patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis and used a test-treatment threshold model to identify diagnostic findings that could rule in/out AA and obviate the need for further imaging studies, specifically computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radiology department ultrasound (RUS). METHODS We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS up to October 2016 for studies on ED pediatric patients with abdominal pain. Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) was used to evaluate the quality and applicability of included studies. Positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-) for diagnostic modalities were calculated and when appropriate data was pooled using Meta-DiSc. Based on the available literature on the test characteristics of different imaging modalities and applying the Pauker-Kassirer method we developed a test-treatment threshold model. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were included encompassing 8,605 patients with weighted AA prevalence of 39.2%. Studies had variable quality using the QUADAS-2 tool with most studies at high risk of partial verification bias. We divided studies based on their inclusion criteria into two groups of "undifferentiated abdominal pain" and abdominal pain "suspected of AA." In patients with undifferentiated abdominal pain, history of "pain migration to right lower quadrant (RLQ)" (LR+ = 4.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.59-6.44) and presence of "cough/hop pain" in the physical examination (LR+ = 7.64, 95% CI = 5.94-9.83) were most strongly associated with AA. In patients suspected of AA none of the history or laboratory findings were strongly associated with AA. Rovsing's sign was the physical examination finding most strongly associated with AA (LR+ = 3.52, 95% CI = 2.65-4.68). Among different PAS cutoff points, PAS ≥ 9 (LR+ = 5.26, 95% CI = 3.34-8.29) was most associated with AA. None of the history, physical examination, laboratory tests findings, or PAS alone could rule in or rule out AA in patients with undifferentiated abdominal pain or those suspected of AA. ED-POCUS had LR+ of 9.24 (95% CI = 6.24-13.28) and LR- of 0.17 (95% CI = 0.09-0.30). Using our test-treatment threshold model, positive ED-POCUS could rule in AA without the use of CT and MRI, but negative ED-POCUS could not rule out AA. CONCLUSION Presence of AA is more likely in patients with undifferentiated abdominal pain migrating to the RLQ or when cough/hop pain is present in the physical examination. Once AA is suspected, no single history, physical examination, laboratory finding, or score attained on PAS can eliminate the need for imaging studies. Operating characteristics of ED-POCUS are similar to those reported for RUS in literature for diagnosis of AA. In ED patients suspected of AA, a positive ED-POCUS is diagnostic and obviates the need for CT or MRI while negative ED-POCUS is not enough to rule out AA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshanak Benabbas
- Department of Emergency Medicine; State University of New York/SUNY Downstate Medical Center; Brooklyn NY
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Kings County Hospital Center; Brooklyn NY
| | - Mark Hanna
- Department of Pediatrics; State University of New York/SUNY Downstate Medical Center; Brooklyn NY
- Department of Pediatrics; Kings County Hospital Center; Brooklyn NY
| | - Jay Shah
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Kings County Hospital Center; Brooklyn NY
| | - Richard Sinert
- Department of Emergency Medicine; State University of New York/SUNY Downstate Medical Center; Brooklyn NY
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Kings County Hospital Center; Brooklyn NY
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Kharbanda AB, Monuteaux MC, Bachur RG, Dudley NC, Bajaj L, Stevenson MD, Macias CG, Mittal MK, Bennett JE, Sinclair K, Dayan PS. A Clinical Score to Predict Appendicitis in Older Male Children. Acad Pediatr 2017; 17:261-266. [PMID: 27890780 PMCID: PMC5562406 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2016.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop a clinical score to predict appendicitis among older, male children who present to the emergency department with suspected appendicitis. METHODS Patients with suspected appendicitis were prospectively enrolled at 9 pediatric emergency departments. A total of 2625 patients enrolled; a subset of 961 male patients, age 8-18 were analyzed in this secondary analysis. Outcomes were determined using pathology, operative reports, and follow-up calls. Clinical and laboratory predictors with <10% missing data and kappa > 0.4 were entered into a multivariable model. Resultant β-coefficients were used to develop a clinical score. Test performance was assessed by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and likelihood ratios. RESULTS The mean age was 12.2 years; 49.9% (480) had appendicitis, 22.3% (107) had perforation, and the negative appendectomy rate was 3%. In patients with and without appendicitis, overall imaging rates were 68.6% (329) and 84.4% (406), respectively. Variables retained in the model included maximum tenderness in the right lower quadrant, pain with walking/coughing or hopping, and the absolute neutrophil count. A score ≥8.1 had a sensitivity of 25% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20%-29%), specificity of 98% (95% CI, 96%-99%), and positive predictive value of 93% (95% CI, 86%-97%) for ruling in appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS We developed an accurate scoring system for predicting appendicitis in older boys. If validated, the score might allow clinicians to manage a proportion of male patients without diagnostic imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupam B. Kharbanda
- Department of Pediatrics Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
| | - Michael C. Monuteaux
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Richard G. Bachur
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Nanette C. Dudley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Lalit Bajaj
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO
| | | | | | - Manoj K. Mittal
- Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University ofPennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jonathan E. Bennett
- Department of Pediatrics, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Jefferson Medical College, Wilmington, DE
| | - Kelly Sinclair
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO
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23
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Rialon KL, Wolf S, Routh JC, Adibe OO. Diagnostic evaluation of ovarian torsion: An analysis of pediatric patients using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Am J Surg 2017; 213:637-639. [DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2016.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Fullerton K, Depinet H, Iyer S, Hall M, Herr S, Morton I, Lee T, Melzer-Lange M. Association of Hospital Resources and Imaging Choice for Appendicitis in Pediatric Emergency Departments. Acad Emerg Med 2017; 24:400-409. [PMID: 28039951 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Abdominal pain and concern for appendicitis are common chief complaints in patients presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED). Although many professional organizations recommend decreasing use of computed tomography (CT) and choosing ultrasound as first-line imaging for pediatric appendicitis, significant variability persists in imaging utilization. This study investigated practice variation across children's hospitals in the diagnostic imaging evaluation of appendicitis and determined hospital-level characteristics associated with the likelihood of ultrasound as the first imaging modality. METHODS This was a multicenter (seven children's hospitals) retrospective investigation. Data from chart review of 160 consecutive patients aged 3-18 years diagnosed with appendicitis from each site were compared with a survey of site medical directors regarding hospital resource availability, usual practices, and departmental-level demographics. RESULTS In the diagnostic evaluation of 1,090 children with appendicitis, CT scan was performed first for 22.4% of patients, with a range across PEDs of 3.1% to 83.8%. Ultrasound was performed for 54.0% of patients with a range of 2.5% to 96.9%. The only hospital-level factor significantly associated with ultrasound as the first imaging modality was 24-hour availability of in-house ultrasound (odds ratio = 29.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-691.8). CONCLUSION Across children's hospitals, significant practice variation exists regarding diagnostic imaging in the evaluation of patients with appendicitis. Variation in hospital-level resources may impact the diagnostic evaluation of patients with appendicitis. Availability of 24-hour in-house ultrasound significantly increases the likelihood of ultrasound as first imaging and decreases CT scans. Hospitals aiming to increase the use of ultrasound should consider adding 24-hour in-house coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Holly Depinet
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati OH
| | - Sujit Iyer
- Dell Children's Medical Center; Austin TX
| | - Matt Hall
- Children's Hospital Association; Overland Park KS
| | | | - Inge Morton
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA
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25
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Munden MM, Wai S, DiStefano MC, Zhang W. Limited Abdominal Sonography for Evaluation of Children With Right Lower Quadrant Pain. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2017; 36:183-186. [PMID: 27925670 DOI: 10.7863/ultra.16.01102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine whether a complete abdominal sonographic examination is necessary in the evaluation of children with right lower quadrant pain that is suspicious for appendicitis in the emergency department and whether performing a limited, more-focused study would miss clinically important disease. METHODS With Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective study was performed of 704 patients, from ages 5-19 years, presenting to the emergency department with right lower quadrant pain that was suspicious for appendicitis who underwent a complete abdominal sonographic examination. Data were extracted from the complete abdominal sonographic examination to see whether abnormalities were noted in the pancreas, spleen, and left kidney. Patients' medical charts were reviewed to see whether any positive findings in these organs were clinically important. RESULTS Of the 65 studies with a finding that would have been missed with a limited study, only 6 were found to be clinically important. Of those, 5 were managed medically and 1 surgically. The chance of missing a potentially important finding using a limited study with our group of patients was 65 of 704 patients (9.2%), with a 95% confidence interval of 7.2% to 11.7%. The chance of missing an abnormality that was clinically important was 6 of 704 patients (0.85%), with a 95% confidence interval of 0.35% to 1.94%. CONCLUSIONS In children older than 5 years with abdominal pain that is suspicious for appendicitis, performing only a limited abdominal sonographic examination that excludes the pancreas, left kidney, and spleen will yield a miss rate for clinically important disease that is acceptably low to justify the savings of examination time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shannon Wai
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Wei Zhang
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
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Contreary K, Collins A, Rich EC. Barriers to evidence-based physician decision-making at the point of care: a narrative literature review. J Comp Eff Res 2016; 6:51-63. [PMID: 27935741 DOI: 10.2217/cer-2016-0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
We conduct a narrative literature review using four real-world cases of clinical decisions to show how barriers to the use of evidence-based medicine affect physician decision-making at the point of care, and where adjustments could be made in the healthcare system to address these barriers. Our four cases constitute decisions typical of the types physicians make on a regular basis: diagnostic testing, initial treatment and treatment monitoring. To shed light on opportunities to improve patient care while reducing costs, we focus on barriers that could be addressed through changes to policy and/or practice at a particular level of the healthcare system. We conclude by relating our findings to the passage of the Medicare Access and Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act in April 2015.
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Horner KB, Jones A, Wang L, Winger DG, Marin JR. Variation in advanced imaging for pediatric patients with abdominal pain discharged from the ED. Am J Emerg Med 2016; 34:2320-2325. [PMID: 27613363 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2016.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric abdominal pain visits to emergency departments (ED) are common. The objectives of this study are to assess variation in imaging (ultrasound ±computed tomography [CT]) and factors associated with isolated CT use. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of ED visits for pediatric abdominal pain resulting in discharge from 16 regional EDs from 2007 to 2013. Primary outcome was ultrasound or CT imaging. Secondary outcome was isolated CT use. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate patient- and hospital-level covariates associated with imaging. RESULTS Of the 21 152 visits, imaging was performed in 29.7%, and isolated CT in 13.4% of visits. In multivariable analysis, black patients (odds ratio [OR], 0.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4-0.5) and Medicaid (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5-0.7) had lower odds of advanced imaging compared with white patients and private insurance, respectively. General EDs were less likely to perform imaging (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5-0.7) compared with the pediatric ED; however, for visits with imaging, 3.5% of visits to the pediatric ED compared with 76% of those to general EDs included an isolated CT (P<.001). Low pediatric volume (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.5-2.2) and rural (OR,1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.5) EDs had higher odds of isolated CT use, compared with higher pediatric volumes and nonrural EDs, respectively. CONCLUSION There are racial and insurance disparities in imaging for pediatric abdominal pain. General EDs are less likely than pediatric EDs to use imaging, but more likely to use isolated CT. Strategies are needed to minimize disparities and improve the use of "ultrasound first."
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly B Horner
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
| | - Amy Jones
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Li Wang
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Daniel G Winger
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Jennifer R Marin
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
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Huckins DS, Simon HK, Copeland K, Milling TJ, Spandorfer PR, Hennes H, Allen C, Gogain J. Prospective validation of a biomarker panel to identify pediatric ED patients with abdominal pain who are at low risk for acute appendicitis. Am J Emerg Med 2016; 34:1373-82. [PMID: 27133536 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2016.03.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Revised: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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Acute abdominal pain in children: usefulness of three-view abdominal radiographs in the emergency department. Emerg Radiol 2016; 23:469-75. [PMID: 27435234 DOI: 10.1007/s10140-016-1423-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Diagnostic imaging is often an integral component in the workup of a pediatric patient with acute abdominal pain. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of a three-view acute abdominal series (AAS) with that of a single supine view (SSV) in children with acute abdominal pain. All subjects aged ≤18 years that underwent an emergency three-view AAS examination for acute abdominal pain at a single urban hospital system were included. Retrospective evaluation of radiological diagnosis, number of radiological images, further imaging, management, and clinical outcomes was performed. "Positive" AAS studies were compared with corresponding SSV images for direct comparison of diagnostic value. Standard nonparametric statistical evaluation was performed. Five hundred forty-one AAS studies were included in the study. Greater than three radiographs were acquired in 29 % (153/541) of the subjects. Two hundred ninety-nine out of 541 AAS studies included a technically adequate SSV of the abdomen and pelvis. Most AAS examinations were categorized as negative (n = 485; 90 %). Of the 56 examinations initially classified as positive, there was no significant statistical difference between diagnostic accuracy between the AAS and SSV on retrospective evaluation. For pediatric subjects with nontraumatic acute abdominal pain, the yield of conventional radiographic study is exceedingly low. If required, a technically adequate single supine anteroposterior (AP) view of the abdomen and pelvis is sufficient for initial radiographic evaluation while reducing unnecessary radiation exposure to the patient.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND There are limited data regarding testing and treatment patterns for children presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a febrile respiratory illness. OBJECTIVES The aims of the study were to evaluate the rates of diagnostic testing, antibiotic use, and pneumonia diagnosis among children presenting to an ED with a febrile respiratory illness and to evaluate whether differences exist on the basis of care at a pediatric versus a general ED. METHODS Cross-sectional study of children presenting to an ED with a febrile respiratory illness from 2001 to 2010 used the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Using extrapolated estimates from the weighted population sample, rates of laboratory and radiographic testing, antibiotic use, and pneumonia diagnosis were ascertained. Comparisons were made between children treated at a general versus pediatric ED. A subpopulation of children undergoing chest radiograph was identified to target those with concern for radiographic pneumonia. RESULTS Fifteen percent of the 12 million visits for febrile respiratory illness occurred in a pediatric ED. Thirteen percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 11-15) of patients had a complete blood count, 4% (95% CI, 3-5) had a blood culture, and 33% (95% CI, 30-35) had a chest radiograph obtained; no differences were observed on the basis of ED type. Despite similar rates of pneumonia diagnosis, antibiotics were prescribed less often for children cared for in a pediatric (35% [95% CI, 30-41]) versus general ED (50% [95% CI, 47-53]). Similar findings were observed among the subgroup of children with febrile respiratory illness undergoing chest radiograph. CONCLUSIONS High rates of diagnostic testing were observed among children with febrile respiratory illnesses, despite low rates of pneumonia diagnosis. Antibiotic use was higher among children cared for at a general ED compared with pediatric ED.
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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Performance of MRI for Evaluation of Acute Appendicitis. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2016; 206:508-17. [PMID: 26901006 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.15.14544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A meta-analysis was performed to determine the accuracy of MRI in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the general population and in subsets of pregnant patients and children. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases for articles published through the end of October 2014 was performed to identify studies that used MRI to evaluate patients suspected of having acute appendicitis. Pooled data for sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated. RESULTS A total of 30 studies that comprised 2665 patients were reviewed. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis are 96% (95% CI, 95-97%) and 96% (95% CI, 95-97%), respectively. In a subgroup of studies that focused solely on pregnant patients, the sensitivity and specificity of MRI were 94% (95% CI, 87-98%) and 97% (95% CI, 96-98%), respectively, whereas in studies that focused on children, sensitivity and specificity were found to be 96% (95% CI, 95-97%) and 96% (95% CI, 94-98%), respectively. CONCLUSION MRI has a high accuracy for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, for a wide range of patients, and may be acceptable for use as a first-line diagnostic test.
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Swenson DW, Schooler GR, Stamoulis C, Lee EY. MRI of the normal appendix in children: data toward a new reference standard. Pediatr Radiol 2016; 46:1003-10. [PMID: 26886909 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-016-3559-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might prove useful in the diagnostic evaluation of pediatric appendicitis in the effort to avoid exposing children to the ionizing radiation of CT, yet there is a paucity of literature describing the normal range of appearances of the pediatric appendix on MRI. OBJECTIVE To investigate MRI characteristics of the normal appendix to aid in establishing a reference standard in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of children and young adults (≤18 years of age) who underwent lumbar spine or pelvis MRI between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2013, for indications unrelated to appendicitis. Two board-certified radiologists independently reviewed all patients' MRI examinations for appendix visualization, diameter, intraluminal content signal, and presence of periappendiceal inflammation or free fluid. We used the Cohen kappa statistic and Spearman correlation coefficient to assess reader agreement on qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. RESULTS Three hundred forty-six patients met inclusion criteria. Both readers visualized the appendix in 192/346 (55.5%) patients (kappa = 0.88, P < 0.0001). Estimated median appendix diameter was 5 mm for reader 1 and 6 mm for reader 2 ([25th, 75th] quartiles = [5, 6] mm; range, 2-11 mm; r = 0.81, P < 0.0001). Appendix intraluminal signal characteristics were variable. Periappendiceal inflammation was present in 0/192 (0%) and free fluid in 6/192 (3.1%) MRI examinations (kappa = 1.0). CONCLUSION The normal appendix was seen on MRI in approximately half of pediatric patients, with a mean diameter of ~5-6 mm, variable intraluminal signal characteristics, no adjacent inflammatory changes, and rare surrounding free fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Swenson
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy St., Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
| | - Gary R Schooler
- Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Catherine Stamoulis
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edward Y Lee
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Gunn ML, Marin JR, Mills AM, Chong ST, Froemming AT, Johnson JO, Kumaravel M, Sodickson AD. A report on the Academic Emergency Medicine 2015 consensus conference “Diagnostic imaging in the emergency department: a research agenda to optimize utilization”. Emerg Radiol 2016; 23:383-96. [DOI: 10.1007/s10140-016-1398-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Bozlu G, Taskinlar H, Unal S, Alakaya M, Nayci A, Kuyucu N. Diagnostic value of red blood cell distribution width in pediatric acute appendicitis. Pediatr Int 2016; 58:202-5. [PMID: 26273790 DOI: 10.1111/ped.12805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in children with acute appendicitis. METHODS In this retrospective study, a total of 344 children aged ≤18 years with clinically suspected acute appendicitis who underwent appendectomy between January 2007 and January 2014 were reviewed, and 200 healthy controls of the same age group were included. Based on histopathology, the patients were classified as having normal appendix, simple or perforated appendicitis, and preoperative white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) and RDW were compared. RESULTS Compared with the controls, mean WBC, CRP and RDW were significantly higher in the appendectomy group (P <0.001). The children with simple or perforated appendicitis had significantly higher WBC, CRP and RDW than did those with normal appendix (P <0.001). Mean WBC and CRP were significantly higher in the children with perforated appendicitis (P <0.001), but no statistically significant difference was found in RDW between the simple and perforated appendicitis groups (P = 0.081). CONCLUSIONS Children with histologically proven acute appendicitis have higher RDW than children without appendicitis, but the diagnostic value of RDW was not superior to WBC or CRP in children with acute appendicitis. Although higher RDW may be valuable for aiding the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children, it is not a useful marker for predicting perforated appendicitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulcin Bozlu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Hakan Taskinlar
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Selma Unal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey.,Division of Pediatric Hematology, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Alakaya
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Ali Nayci
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Necdet Kuyucu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey.,Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Mersin Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
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Craig S, Dalton S. Diagnosing appendicitis: What works, what does not and where to go from here? J Paediatr Child Health 2016; 52:168-73. [PMID: 26437742 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although acute appendicitis is the most common reason for emergency abdominal surgery in children, diagnosis is far from straightforward. Delays in diagnosis can result in significant complications, whereas over-diagnosis can result in costly inter-hospital transfers and unnecessary surgery. This article aims to describe current evidence-based assessment of children with possible appendicitis presenting to the emergency department. We provide an overview of the literature relating to the various available diagnostic approaches, including the application of history, examination, pathology tests, imaging, and clinical decision rules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Craig
- Emergency Medicine Training, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah Dalton
- Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Clinical Excellence Commission, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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36
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Abstract
Pain is common in children presenting to emergency departments with episodic illnesses, acute injuries, and exacerbation of chronic disorders. We review recognition and assessment of pain in infants and children and discuss the manifestations of pain in children with chronic illness, recurrent pain syndromes, and cognitive impairment, including the difficulties of pain management in these patients. Non-pharmacological interventions, as adjuncts to pharmacological management for acute anxiety and pain, are described by age and development. We discuss the pharmacological management of acute pain and anxiety, reviewing invasive and non-invasive routes of administration, pharmacology, and adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baruch S Krauss
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lorenzo Calligaris
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Steven M Green
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Egidio Barbi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
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37
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Woo SH, Lee WJ, Seol SH, Kim DH, Wee JH, Choi SP, Jeong WJ, Oh SH, Kyong YY, Kim SW. Physician and nurse knowledge about patient radiation exposure in the emergency department. Niger J Clin Pract 2016; 19:502-7. [DOI: 10.4103/1119-3077.183298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Kuehl DR, Berdahl CT, Jackson TD, Venkatesh AK, Mistry RD, Bhargavan-Chatfield M, Raukar NP, Carr BG, Schuur JD, Kocher KE. Advancing the Use of Administrative Data for Emergency Department Diagnostic Imaging Research. Acad Emerg Med 2015; 22:1417-26. [PMID: 26575944 DOI: 10.1111/acem.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Administrative data are critical to describing patterns of use, cost, and appropriateness of imaging in emergency care. These data encompass a range of source materials that have been collected primarily for a nonresearch use: documenting clinical care (e.g., medical records), administering care (e.g., picture archiving and communication systems), or financial transactions (e.g., insurance claims). These data have served as the foundation for large, descriptive studies that have documented the rise and expanded role of diagnostic imaging in the emergency department (ED). This article summarizes the discussions of the breakout session on the use of administrative data for emergency imaging research at the May 2015 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference, "Diagnostic Imaging in the Emergency Department: A Research Agenda to Optimize Utilization." The authors describe the areas where administrative data have been applied to research evaluating the use of diagnostic imaging in the ED, the common sources for these data, and the strengths and limitations of administrative data. Next, the future role of administrative data is examined for answering key research questions in an evolving health system increasingly focused on measuring appropriateness, ensuring quality, and improving value for health spending. This article specifically focuses on four thematic areas: data quality, appropriateness and value, special populations, and policy interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damon R. Kuehl
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine; Roanoke VA
| | - Carl T. Berdahl
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center; Los Angeles CA
| | - Tiffany D. Jackson
- Department of Emergency Medicine; University of Alabama Birmingham; Birmingham AL
| | | | - Rakesh D. Mistry
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Section of Emergency Medicine; Children's Hospital Colorado; Aurora CO
| | | | - Neha P. Raukar
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Providence RI
| | - Brendan G. Carr
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Sidney Kimmel Medical College; Thomas Jefferson University; Philadelphia PA
| | - Jeremiah D. Schuur
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Brigham and Women's Hospital; Boston MA
| | - Keith E. Kocher
- Department of Emergency Medicine; University of Michigan School of Medicine; Ann Arbor MI
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Epiploic Appendagitis: A Rare Cause of Acute Abdominal Pain in Children. Report of a Case and Review of the Pediatric Literature. Pediatr Emerg Care 2015; 31:717-9. [PMID: 26427946 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000000565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A 9-year-old boy presented with acute onset of abdominal pain and vomiting. History, physical examination, and initial laboratory testing failed to provide a diagnosis. A computed tomography scan revealed the rare finding of epiploic appendagitis. We review the literature of this rare, but increasingly recognized, condition that mimics appendicitis and needs to be considered in the child with acute abdominal pain.
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40
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Pediatric Emergency CT Scans at a Children's Hospital and at Community Hospitals: Radiation Technical Factors Are an Important Source of Radiation Exposure. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2015; 205:409-13. [DOI: 10.2214/ajr.14.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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41
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Richards MK, Kotagal M, Goldin AB. Campaigns Against Ionizing Radiation and Changed Practice Patterns for Imaging Use in Pediatric Appendicitis. JAMA Pediatr 2015; 169:720-1. [PMID: 26099029 PMCID: PMC4786299 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan K. Richards
- Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington
| | - Meera Kotagal
- Division of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Adam B. Goldin
- Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington
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Thompson GC, Schuh S, Gravel J, Reid S, Fitzpatrick E, Turner T, Bhatt M, Beer D, Blair G, Eccles R, Jones S, Kilgar J, Liston N, Martin J, Hagel B, Nettel-Aguirre A. Variation in the Diagnosis and Management of Appendicitis at Canadian Pediatric Hospitals. Acad Emerg Med 2015; 22:811-22. [PMID: 26130319 DOI: 10.1111/acem.12709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective was to characterize the variations in practice in the diagnosis and management of children admitted to hospitals from Canadian pediatric emergency departments (EDs) with suspected appendicitis, specifically the timing of surgical intervention, ED investigations, and management strategies. METHODS Twelve sites participated in this retrospective health record review. Children aged 3 to 17 years admitted to the hospital with suspected appendicitis were eligible. Site-specific demographics, investigations, and interventions performed were recorded and compared. Factors associated with after-hours surgery were determined using generalized estimating equations logistic regression. RESULTS Of the 619 children meeting eligibility criteria, surgical intervention was performed in 547 (88%). After-hours surgery occurred in 76 of the 547 children, with significant variation across sites (13.9%, 95% confidence interval = 7.1% to 21.6%, p < 0.001). The overall perforation rate was 17.4% (95 of 547), and the negative appendectomy rate was 6.8% (37 of 547), varying across sites (p = 0.004 and p = 0.036, respectively). Use of inflammatory markers (p < 0.001), blood cultures (p < 0.001), ultrasound (p = 0.001), and computed tomography (p = 0.001) also varied by site. ED administration of narcotic analgesia and antibiotics varied across sites (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively), as did the type of surgical approach (p < 0.001). After-hours triage had a significant inverse association with after-hours surgery (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS Across Canadian pediatric EDs, there exists significant variation in the diagnosis and management of children with suspected appendicitis. These results indicate that the best diagnostic and management strategies remain unclear and support the need for future prospective, multicenter studies to identify strategies associated with optimal patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham C. Thompson
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
| | - Suzanne Schuh
- Hospital for Sick Children; University of Toronto; Toronto ON
| | - Jocelyn Gravel
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ste-Justine; Universite de Montreal; Montreal QC
| | - Sarah Reid
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; University of Ottawa; Ottawa ON
| | | | - Troy Turner
- Stollery Children's Hospital; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB
| | - Maala Bhatt
- Hospital for Sick Children; University of Toronto; Toronto ON
| | - Darcy Beer
- Winnipeg Children's Hospital; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg MB
| | - Geoffrey Blair
- British Columbia Children's Hospital; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC
| | - Robin Eccles
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
| | - Sarah Jones
- Children's Hospital London Health Sciences Centre; Western University; London ON
| | - Jennifer Kilgar
- Children's Hospital London Health Sciences Centre; Western University; London ON
| | - Natalia Liston
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
| | - John Martin
- Janeway Children's Health and Rehabilitation Centre; Memorial University; St. John's NL
| | - Brent Hagel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
- Department of Community Health Sciences; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
| | - Alberto Nettel-Aguirre
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
- Department of Community Health Sciences; University of Calgary; Calgary AB
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Value of Focused Appendicitis Ultrasound and Alvarado Score in Predicting Appendicitis in Children: Can We Reduce the Use of CT? AJR Am J Roentgenol 2015; 204:W707-12. [DOI: 10.2214/ajr.14.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Wagenaar AE, Tashiro J, Wang B, Curbelo M, Mendelson KL, Perez EA, Hogan AR, Neville HL, Sola JE. Protocol for suspected pediatric appendicitis limits computed tomography utilization. J Surg Res 2015; 199:153-8. [PMID: 25979562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2015.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite radiation concerns, computed tomography (CT) remains the favored imaging modality at many children's hospitals for appendicitis. We sought to reduce CT utilization for appendicitis in a children's hospital with an algorithm relying on 24-h ultrasound (US) as the primary imaging study. MATERIALS AND METHODS An US-based protocol for suspected appendicitis was adopted at the end of the fiscal year (FY) 2011. Data were collected for 12 mo before and 24 mo after implementation. Imaging test usage and charges were adjusted per annual number of appendectomies. Training of emergency department staff continued over 1 y after protocol implementation. RESULTS For FY 2011, 644 abdominal CT and 1088 appendix US were ordered, and 249 laparoscopic appendectomies (LAs) were performed. After protocol implementation, FY 2012: 535 CT, 1285 US, and 265 LA were performed; and FY 2013: 330 CT, 1235 US, and 236 LA were performed. Length of stay decreased from before to after protocol (2.57 ± 0.29 versus 2.15 ± 0.11 d), P < 0.001. CTs per appendectomy decreased 42% from FY 2011 to FY 2013 (2.43 versus 1.40, P < 0.001) and 30% from before to after protocol (2.43 versus 1.70, P < 0.001). A corresponding 27% increase in number of US before to after protocol (4.11 versus 5.20 US/appendectomy, P = 0.004) occurred. CT and US charges decreased $2253 and $6633 per appendectomy for FY 2012 and 2013, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Protocol-driven workup with US significantly reduced CT utilization, radiation exposure, and imaging-related charges in children with suspected appendicitis. Ongoing training of emergency department staff is required to ensure protocol compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Wagenaar
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Jun Tashiro
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Bo Wang
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Miosotys Curbelo
- Department of Pediatrics, Baptist Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida
| | | | - Eduardo A Perez
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida; Department of Pediatrics, Baptist Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida
| | - Anthony R Hogan
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida; Department of Pediatrics, Baptist Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida
| | - Holly L Neville
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida; Department of Pediatrics, Baptist Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida
| | - Juan E Sola
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt-Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida; Department of Pediatrics, Baptist Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida.
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Implementing an ultrasound-based protocol for diagnosing appendicitis while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. Pediatr Radiol 2015; 45:678-85. [PMID: 25416931 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-014-3220-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of ultrasound to diagnose appendicitis in children is well-documented but not universally employed outside of pediatric academic centers, especially in the United States. Various obstacles make it difficult for institutions and radiologists to abandon a successful and accurate CT-based imaging protocol in favor of a US-based protocol. OBJECTIVE To describe how we overcame barriers to implementing a US-based appendicitis protocol among a large group of nonacademic private-practice pediatric radiologists while maintaining diagnostic accuracy and decreasing medical costs. MATERIALS AND METHODS A multidisciplinary team of physicians (pediatric surgery, pediatric emergency medicine and pediatric radiology) approved an imaging protocol using US as the primary modality to evaluate suspected appendicitis with CT for equivocal cases. The protocol addressed potential bias against US and accommodated for institutional limitations of radiologist and sonographer experience and availability. Radiologists coded US reports according to the probability of appendicitis. Radiology reports were compared with clinical outcomes to assess diagnostic accuracy. During the study period, physicians from each group were apprised of the interim US protocol accuracy results. Problematic cases were discussed openly. RESULTS A total of 512 children were enrolled and underwent US for evaluation of appendicitis over a 30-month period. Diagnostic accuracy was comparable to published results for combined US/CT protocols. Comparing the first 12 months to the last 12 months of the study period, the proportion of children achieving an unequivocal US result increased from 30% (51/169) to 53% (149/282) and the proportion of children undergoing surgery based solely on US findings increased from 55% (23/42) to 84% (92/109). Overall, 63% (325/512) of patients in the protocol did not require a CT. Total patient costs were reduced by $30,182 annually. CONCLUSION We overcame several barriers to implementing a US protocol. During the study period our ability to visualize the appendix with US increased and utilization of CT decreased. Our overall diagnostic accuracy with the US-based protocol was comparable to other published results and remained unchanged throughout the study.
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Kotagal M, Richards MK, Flum DR, Acierno SP, Weinsheimer RL, Goldin AB. Use and accuracy of diagnostic imaging in the evaluation of pediatric appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg 2015; 50:642-6. [PMID: 25840079 PMCID: PMC4385196 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2014.09.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Revised: 08/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are safety concerns about the use of radiation-based imaging (computed tomography [CT]) to diagnose appendicitis in children. Factors associated with CT use remain to be determined. METHODS For patients ≤18 years old undergoing appendectomy, we evaluated diagnostic imaging performed, patient characteristics, hospital type, and imaging/pathology concordance (2008-2012) using data from Washington State's Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program. RESULTS Among 2538 children, 99.7% underwent pre-operative imaging. 52.7% had a CT scan as their first study. After adjustment, age >10 years (OR 2.9 (95% CI 2.2-4.0), Hispanic ethnicity (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5-1.9), and being obese (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.1) were associated with CT use first. Evaluation at a non-children's hospital was associated with higher odds of CT use (OR 7.9, 95% CI 7.5-8.4). Ultrasound concordance with pathology was higher for males (72.3 vs. 66.4%, p=.03), in perforated appendicitis (75.9 vs. 67.5%, p=.009), and at children's hospitals compared to general adult hospitals (77.3 vs. 62.2%, p<.001). CT use has decreased yearly statewide. CONCLUSIONS Over 50% of children with appendicitis had radiation-based imaging. Understanding factors associated with CT use should allow for more specific QI interventions to reduce radiation exposure. Site of care remains a significant factor in radiation exposure for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meera Kotagal
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Surgical Outcomes Research Center (SORCE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; CHASE Alliance, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Morgan K. Richards
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA,Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David R. Flum
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA,Surgical Outcomes Research Center (SORCE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA,CHASE Alliance, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Stephanie P. Acierno
- Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | | | - Adam B. Goldin
- Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
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Abdelhalim MA, Stuart JDA, Nicholson GA. Augmenting the decision making process in acute appendicitis: A retrospective cohort study. Int J Surg 2015; 17:5-9. [PMID: 25782341 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute appendicitis is a common surgical diagnosis. We investigated the use of blood markers (WCC, CRP and serum bilirubin) and diagnostic imaging (USS and CT scan) to arrive at this diagnosis, as well as the surgical approach used for appendicectomy. METHODS This was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing appendicectomy in seven hospitals within GG&C Health Board during a 6 month study period. Data were collected from electronic patient records. Sensitivity and specificity of each investigation for diagnosing acute appendicitis was calculated. RESULTS 363 patients were included. Appendicectomy was performed open in 53%, laparoscopically in 43% and converted in 4%. Diagnostic imaging was used in 38%. The overall negative appendicectomy rate was 15% (18% when no imaging was used, 23% when USS was used and 1% when CT scanning was used). Elevated bilirubin had a sensitivity of 0.44 and a specificity of 0.84 for detecting acute appendicitis. Sensitivity and specificity for elevated WCC were 0.78 and 0.55, and for elevated CRP were 0.81 and 0.59, respectively. The specificity of bilirubin for diagnosing perforated appendicitis was 0.63. DISCUSSION WCC and CRP were sensitive blood markers in acute appendicitis, whereas serum bilirubin was more specific. Diagnostic imaging with a CT scan was very effective at reducing the rate of negative appendicectomy, but USS was not. CONCLUSION Serum bilirubin has utility in diagnosing acute appendicitis, irrespective of whether perforation has occurred. CT scanning should be considered the first line imaging modality for investigation of acute appendicitis if diagnosis is in doubt.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Abdelhalim
- Western Infirmary Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, UK; University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - J D A Stuart
- Western Infirmary Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, UK; University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - G A Nicholson
- Western Infirmary Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, UK; University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Kotagal M, Richards MK, Chapman T, Finch L, McCann B, Ormazabal A, Rush RJ, Goldin AB. Improving ultrasound quality to reduce computed tomography use in pediatric appendicitis: the Safe and Sound campaign. Am J Surg 2015; 209:896-900; discussion 900. [PMID: 25771132 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2014.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Safety concerns about the use of radiation-based imaging such as computed tomography (CT) in children have resulted in national recommendations to use ultrasound (US) for the diagnosis of appendicitis when possible. We evaluated the trends in CT and US use in a statewide sample and the accuracy of these modalities. METHODS Patients less than or equal to 18 years undergoing appendectomy in Washington State from 2008 to 2013 were evaluated for preoperative US/CT use, as well as imaging/pathology concordance using data from the Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program. RESULTS Among 3,353 children, 98.3% underwent preoperative imaging. There was a significant increase in the use of US first over the study period (P < .001). The use of CT at any time during the evaluation decreased. Despite this, in 2013, over 40% of the children still underwent CT imaging. Concordance between US imaging and pathology varied between 40% and 75% at hospitals performing greater than or equal to 10 appendectomies in 2013. Over one third (34.9%) of CT scans performed in the evaluation of children with appendicitis were performed after an indeterminate US. CONCLUSIONS Although the use of US as the first imaging modality to diagnose pediatric appendicitis has increased over the past 5 years, over 40% of children still undergo a CT scan during their preoperative evaluation. Causality for this persistence of CT use is unclear, but could include variability in US accuracy, lack of training, and lack of awareness of the risks of radiation-based imaging. Developing a campaign to focus on continued reduction in CT and increased use of high-quality US should be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meera Kotagal
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA 98101, USA; Surgical Outcomes Research Center, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA 98101, USA; CHASE Alliance, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
| | - Morgan K Richards
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA 98101, USA; Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Teresa Chapman
- Department of Radiology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lisa Finch
- Department of Radiology, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bessie McCann
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Providence Centralia Hospital, Centralia, WA, USA
| | - Amaya Ormazabal
- Department of Radiology, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Robert J Rush
- Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Hospital, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Adam B Goldin
- Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
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Rubin GD. Computed tomography: revolutionizing the practice of medicine for 40 years. Radiology 2015; 273:S45-74. [PMID: 25340438 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.14141356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) has had a profound effect on the practice of medicine. Both the spectrum of clinical applications and the role that CT has played in enhancing the depth of our understanding of disease have been profound. Although almost 90 000 articles on CT have been published in peer-reviewed journals over the past 40 years, fewer than 5% of these have been published in Radiology. Nevertheless, these almost 4000 articles have provided a basis for many important medical advances. By enabling a deepened understanding of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, CT has facilitated key advances in the detection and management of disease. This article celebrates this breadth of scientific discovery and development by examining the impact that CT has had on the diagnosis, characterization, and management of a sampling of major health challenges, including stroke, vascular diseases, cancer, trauma, acute abdominal pain, and diffuse lung diseases, as related to key technical advances in CT and manifested in Radiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey D Rubin
- From the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Department of Radiology, Duke University School of Medicine, PO Box 17969, 2400 Pratt St, Durham, NC 27715
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Pershad J, Waters TM, Langham MR, Li T, Huang EY. Cost-effectiveness of diagnostic approaches to suspected appendicitis in children. J Am Coll Surg 2014; 220:738-46. [PMID: 25667142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2014.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our group recently published a clinical pathway (Le Bonheur Clinical Pathway [LeB-P]) that used the Samuel Pediatric Appendicitis Score with selective use of ultrasonography (USG) for diagnosis of children at risk for appendicitis. The objective of this study was to model the cost-effectiveness of implementing the LeB-P compared with usual care. STUDY DESIGN We constructed a decision analytic model comparing hospital costs for the following diagnostic strategies for suspected appendicitis: emergency department clinician judgment alone, USG on all patients, CT on all patients, overnight observation with surgical evaluation without studies, and the LeB-P. Prevalence of disease, outcomes probabilities, and hospital and professional costs for each option were derived from published literature, national cost data, and our previous study results. Cost-effectiveness was calculated using these 3 sets of parameters. RESULTS In the base case model, USG was the preferred strategy over LeB-P and overnight observation with surgical evaluation without studies. Emergency department clinician judgment alone and CT were dominated by the other pathways, based on either lower diagnostic accuracy or increased costs. Compared with LeB-P, USG costs $337 less per patient evaluated, but increased the diagnostic error rate by 2%. Using LeB-P rather than USG would cost an institution an additional $17,206 to eliminate one misdiagnosis, which is known as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. CONCLUSIONS Although performing USG on all children with suspected appendicitis was determined to be the most cost-effective strategy, using the Pediatric Appendicitis Score with selective use of USG (LeB-P) improved diagnostic accuracy at a moderate increase in cost and decreased CT use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Pershad
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Teresa M Waters
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Max R Langham
- Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Eunice Y Huang
- Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
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