Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36429362›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2022

Clinical Decision-Making for Heart Failure in Kosovo: A Conjoint Analysis.

Ilir Hoxha, Besim Guda, Ali Hoti, Esra Zhubi, Erza Selmani, Blerta Avdiu, Jakob Cegllar, Dorjan Marušič, Aferdita Osmani

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 33% 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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Kosovo: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    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

9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ilir HoxhaThe Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4262-1406
Besim GudaGeneral Hospital of Gjilan, 60000 Gjilan, Kosovo.
Ali HotiGeneral Hospital of Prizren, 20000 Prizren, Kosovo.
Esra ZhubiEvidence Synthesis Group, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.
Erza SelmaniEvidence Synthesis Group, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.
Blerta AvdiuLux Development, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.
Jakob CegllarLux Development, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.
Dorjan MarušičLux Development, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.
Aferdita OsmaniLux Development, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.
Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHeart failure represents a life-threatening progressive condition. Early diagnosis and adherence to clinical guidelines are associated with improved outcomes for patients with heart failure. However, adherence to clinical guidelines remains limited in Kosovo.

objectiveTo assess the clinical decision-making related to heart failure diagnosis by evaluating clinicians' preferences for clinical attributes.

methodConjoint analysis with 33 clinical scenarios with physicians employed in public hospitals in Kosovo.

settingTwo public hospitals in Kosovo that benefited from quality improvement intervention.

participants14 physicians (internists and cardiologists) in two hospitals in Kosovo. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the overall effect of clinical attributes on the decision for heart failure diagnosis.

resultsWhen considering clinical signs, the likelihood of a heart failure diagnosis increased for ages between 60 to 69 years old (RRR, 1.88; CI 95%, 1.05-3.34) and a stable heart rate (RRR, 1.93; CI 95%, 1.05-3.55) and decreased for the presence of edema (RRR, 0.23; CI 95%, 0.15-0.36), orthopnea (RRR, 0.31; CI 95%, 0.20-0.48), and unusual fatigue (RRR, 0.61; CI 95%, 0.39-0.94). When considering clinical examination findings, the likelihood for heart failure diagnosis decreased for high jugular venous pressure (RRR, 0.49; CI 95%, 0.32-0.76), pleural effusion (RRR, 0.35; CI 95%, 0.23-0.54), hearing third heart sound, (RRR, 0.50; CI 95%, 0.33-0.77), heart murmur (RRR, 0.57; CI 95%, 0.37-0.88), troponin levels (RRR, 0.59; CI 95%, 0.38-0.91), and NTproBNP levels (RRR, 0.36; CI 95%, 0.24-0.56).

conclusionsWe often found odd and wide variations of clinical signs and examination results influencing the decision to diagnose a person with heart failure. It will be important to explore and understand these results better. The study findings are important for existing quality improvement support efforts and contribute to the standardization of clinical decision-making in the public hospitals in the country. This experience and this study can provide valuable impetus for further examination of these efforts and informing policy and development efforts in the standardization of care in the country.

Indexed as

Heart FailureAgedClinical Decision-MakingDyspneaHospitals, PublicHumansKosovoMiddle Agedclinical factorsconjoint analysisdecision-makingevidence-based practicehealthcare reformheart failure

Identifiers

PMID36429362
PMCPMC9690698
OpenAlexW4308524640

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.