Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34911443›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2021

Outcomes from colonoscopy following referral from New Zealand general practice: a retrospective analysis.

Ross Lawrenson, Sheena Moosa, Judy Warren, Ralph van Dalen, Lynne Chepulis, Tania Blackmore, Chunhuan Lao, Christopher Mayo, Jacquie Kidd, Melissa Firth and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 40% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
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

14 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.

Ross LawrensonMedical Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. ross.lawrenson@waikato.ac.nz.
Sheena MoosaWaikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Judy WarrenWaikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Ralph van DalenWaikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Lynne ChepulisMedical Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Tania BlackmoreMedical Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Chunhuan LaoMedical Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Christopher MayoMedical Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Jacquie KiddAuckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Melissa FirthMedical Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Tim StokesDepartment of General Practice and Rural Health, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Mark ElwoodSchool of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
David WellerCentre for Population Health Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Jon EmeryMedicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
University of Waikato · NZWaikato District Health Board · NZAuckland University of Technology · NZUniversity of Auckland · NZUniversity of Edinburgh · GBUniversity of Melbourne · AUUniversity of Otago · NZ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNew Zealand has high rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) but poor outcomes. Most patients with CRC are diagnosed following referral from general practice, where a general practitioner (GP) assesses symptoms according to national guidelines. All referred patients are then re-prioritised by the hospital system. The first objective of this study was to identify what proportion of patients referred by general practice to surgical/gastroenterology at Waikato District Health Board (DHB) had a colonoscopy. The second objective was to determine what proportion of these referrals have an underlying CRC and the factors associated with the likelihood of this diagnosis.

methodsThis study is a retrospective analysis of e-referral data for patients aged 30-70+ who were referred from 75 general practices to general surgery, gastroenterology or direct to colonoscopy at Waikato DHB, 01 January 2015-31 December 2017. Primary and secondary outcome measures included the proportion and characteristics of patients who were having colonoscopy, and of those, who were diagnosed with CRC. Data were analysed using chi square and logistic regression.

results6718/20648 (32.5%) patients had a colonoscopy and 372 (5.5%) of these were diagnosed with CRC. The probability of having CRC following a colonoscopy increased with age (p value < 0.001). Females (p value < 0.001), non-Māori (p value < 0.001), and patients with a high suspicion of cancer (HSCan) label originating from their GP were more likely to have a colonoscopy, while the odds ratio of Māori having a colonoscopy was 0.66 (95% CI 0.60-0.73). The odds ratio of a CRC diagnosis following colonoscopy was 1.67 (95% CI 1.35-2.07) for men compared to women, and 2.34 (95% CI 1.70-3.22) for those with a GP HSCan label. Of the 585 patients referred with a GP HSCan, 423 (72.3%) were reprioritised by the hospital and 55 patients had their diagnosis unnecessarily delayed.

conclusionsIf a GP refers a patient with an HSCan, and the patient receives a colonoscopy, then the likelihood of having CRC is almost 15.0%. This would suggest that these patients should be routinely prioritised without further triage by the hospital. Further research is needed to understand why Māori are less likely to receive a colonoscopy following referral from general practice.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsGeneral PracticeColonoscopyEarly Detection of CancerFemaleHumansMaleNew ZealandReferral and ConsultationRetrospective StudiesColonoscopy ratesColorectal cancerGeneral practiceHigh suspicion of cancer

Identifiers

PMID34911443
PMCPMC8672586
OpenAlexW4200078352

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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.