Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30086148›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Impact of clinical history on choice of abdominal/pelvic CT protocol in the Emergency Department.

Wilfred Dang, Pawel D Stefanski, Ania Z Kielar, Mohamed El-Khodary, Christian van der Pol, Rebecca Thornhill, Arash Jaberi, Angel Y N Fu, Matthew D McInnes

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Wilfred DangFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Pawel D StefanskiFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ania Z KielarFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-6887-5266
Mohamed El-KhodaryFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Christian van der PolFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Rebecca ThornhillFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Arash JaberiFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Angel Y N FuFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Matthew D McInnesFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionRadiologists and other specialty consultants play a role in diagnosing patients with acute abdominal conditions. Numerous Computed Tomography (CT) protocols are available and radiologists' choices are influenced by the clinical history provided. We hypothesize that the quality of the initial communication between referring physicians and radiologists greatly affects the utilization of health resources and subsequent patient care. The purpose of this pilot study was to employ a grading system to quantitatively evaluate a provided history. We also sought to evaluate inter-rater reliability by having radiologists evaluate sample histories and finally, to assess whether the quality of history has an impact on the number of CT protocols radiologists choose as potentially appropriate, with less potential protocols being seen as a positive outcome.

methodsFour reviewers, (2 attendings and 2 residents) evaluated 350 consecutive clinical histories provided for patients presenting to a tertiary care Emergency Department (ED) between September-October, 2012. Reviewers graded histories on a 5-point scale using 4 categories of criteria. This includes a) presenting complaint, b) relevant past medical history or symptom evolution, c) objective laboratory or prior examination results and d) differential diagnosis.

resultsThere was substantial agreement among all four reviewers when evaluating the quality of history, ICC 0.61, (95% CI 0.48-0.71). In particular, agreement amongst attending radiologists was substantial, with ICC 0.69 (0.48-0.80). Significant negative correlation was observed between history grade and number of potentially appropriate protocols in 3 of 4 reviewers (Spearman's rho: -0.394, -0.639, -0.864, p <0.0001 for these reviewers). This correlation was significantly stronger for attending radiologists (Spearman's rho: -0.763, 95% CI -0.7933 to -0.731; p<0.0001). Agreement was poor among reviewers when asked exactly how many protocols could potentially be used to answer the clinical question based on provided history, ICC 0.08, (95% -0.03-0.13).

conclusionAlthough there is still variability in radiologists' approach to protocoling urgent studies, a more comprehensive requisition history narrowed the number of protocols considered.

Indexed as

Choice BehaviorAbdomenAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overEmergency Service, HospitalFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedObserver VariationPelvisPilot ProjectsRadiologistsRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID30086148
PMCPMC6080782

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.