Evidence map›Paper›PMID 16378565›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners2005

Factors identifying higher risk rectal bleeding in general practice.

Brian G Ellis, Michael R Thompson

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 2005. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 58 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Systematic review of clinical features of suspected colorectal cancer in primary care.Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2014
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. The diagnostic value of symptoms for colorectal cancer in primary care: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2011
    Pooled it
  4. Positive predictive values of ≥5% in primary care for cancer: systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2010
    Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Observational
  11. Analysis of Answers to Queries among Anonymous Users with Gastroenterological Problems on an Internet Forum.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Disparities in evaluation of patients with rectal bleeding 40 years and older.Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association · 2014
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Cancer diagnosis in primary care.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2010
    Review
  16. Review
  17. Imaging patients with suspected brain tumour: guidance for primary care.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2008
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Brian G EllisThe Swan Surgery, Petersfield.
Michael R Thompson
Petersfield Community Hospital · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRectal bleeding is a common symptom. The ability to distinguish those patients having serious underlying pathology from those with self-limiting conditions is a continuing dilemma in general practice.

aimTo determine the factors affecting the predictive and diagnostic value of rectal bleeding for bowel cancer in primary care. DESIGN OF STUDY: One-year prospective observational study.

settingThree large general practices.

methodThree hundred and nineteen consecutive patients over the age of 34 years consulting their GPs with rectal bleeding were included in the study. Investigation was by flexible sigmoidoscopy or a questionnaire and review of all patients took place after 18 months. The main outcome measures were consultation rates; the prevalence of cancer, colitis and significant polyps in patients presenting with rectal bleeding; its diagnostic value when occurring with or without a change in bowel habit, perianal symptoms and abdominal pain.

resultsThe consultation rate for rectal bleeding in patients over the age of 34 years was 15 per 1000 per year; 3.4% had colorectal cancer. The prevalence of cancer increased to 9.2% when the rectal bleeding was associated with a change in bowel habit, and to 11.1% when it was without perianal symptoms. Thirty-six per cent of cancer patients had a palpable rectal mass.

conclusionOver 96% of the patients who present to their GPs with rectal bleeding do not have cancer. Greater awareness of the diagnostic value of the different symptom combinations of rectal bleeding could help GPs adopt different management strategies for patients at higher and very low risk of cancer.

Indexed as

Abdominal PainAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsColitisColonic PolypsColorectal NeoplasmsEnglandFamily PracticeFemaleGastrointestinal HemorrhageHumansMaleMiddle AgedPatient Acceptance of Health Care

Identifiers

PMID16378565
PMCPMC1570526
OpenAlexW2109205815

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.