Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33892724›Full record

ArticleRespiratory research2021

Performance of a diagnostic algorithm for fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. A case-control study.

Sabina A Guler, Eva Wohlfarth, Sabina Berezowska, Thomas K Geiser, Lukas Ebner, Manuela Funke-Chambour

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In one paragraph

Article in Respiratory research, 2021. 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
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sabina A GulerDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. sabina.guler@insel.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9833-5911
Eva WohlfarthDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.
Sabina BerezowskaInstitute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Thomas K GeiserDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.
Lukas EbnerDepartment of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Manuela Funke-ChambourDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe differential diagnosis fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) versus idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is important but challenging. Recent diagnostic guidelines for HP emphasize including multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) in the diagnostic process, however MDD is not comprehensively available. We aimed to establish the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic validity of a previously proposed HP diagnostic algorithm that foregoes MDD.

methodsWe tested the algorithm in patients with an MDD diagnosis of fibrotic HP or IPF (case control study) and determined diagnostic test performances for diagnostic confidences of ≥ 90% and ≥ 70%. Prognostic validity was established using Cox proportional hazards models.

resultsThirty-one patients with fibrotic HP and 50 IPF patients were included. The algorithm-derived ≥ 90% confidence level for HP had high specificity (0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.99), but low sensitivity (0.35 [95%CI 0.19-0.55], J-index 0.29). Test performance was improved for the ≥ 70% confidence level (J-index 0.64) with a specificity of 0.90 (95%CI 0.78-0.97), and a sensitivity of 0.74 (95%CI 0.55-0.88). MDD fibrotic HP diagnosis was strongly associated with lower risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.10 [0.01-0.92], p = 0.04), whereas the algorithm-derived ≥ 70% and ≥ 90% confidence diagnoses were not significantly associated with survival (adjusted HR 0.37 [0.07-1.80], p = 0.22, and adjusted HR 0.41 [0.05-3.25], p = 0.39, respectively).

conclusionThe algorithm-derived ≥ 70% diagnostic confidence had satisfactory test performance for MDD-HP diagnosis, with insufficient sensitivity for ≥ 90% confidence. The lowest risk of death in the MDD-derived HP diagnosis validates the reference standard and suggests that a diagnostic algorithm not including MDD, might not replace the latter.

Indexed as

AlgorithmsDecision Support TechniquesLungAlveolitis, Extrinsic AllergicAntigensBiopsyBronchoalveolar Lavage FluidCase-Control StudiesHumansIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisLymphocytosisPredictive Value of TestsProspective StudiesReproducibility of ResultsTomography, X-Ray ComputedAntigensAlgorithmsAlveolitisDiagnosisEnvironmental ExposureExtrinsic AllergicPulmonary Fibrosis

Identifiers

PMID33892724
PMCPMC8063331

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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.