Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36849213›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Derivation and validation of clinical prediction rules for diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis: a prospective cohort study.

Muireann de Paor, Fiona Boland, Xinyan Cai, Susan Smith, Mark H Ebell, Eoin Mac Donncha, Tom Fahey

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 28% 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. 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

7 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Muireann de PaorHRB Centre For Primary Care Research, Division of Population Health Sciences (PHS), Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin, Ireland muireann.depaor@hse.ie.ORCID 0000-0001-5387-931X
Fiona BolandHRB Centre For Primary Care Research, Division of Population Health Sciences (PHS), Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-3228-0046
Xinyan CaiEpidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Susan SmithCommunity Health and General Practice, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Mark H EbellEpidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3228-2877
Eoin Mac DonnchaStudent Health Unit, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Tom FaheyHRB Centre For Primary Care Research, Division of Population Health Sciences (PHS), Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-5896-5783
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland · IEUniversity of Georgia · USOllscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway · IETrinity College Dublin · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesInfectious mononucleosis (IM) is a clinical syndrome that is characterised by lymphadenopathy, fever and sore throat. Although generally not considered a serious illness, IM can lead to significant loss of time from school or work due to profound fatigue, or the development of chronic illness. This study aimed to derive and externally validate clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for IM caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

designProspective cohort study. SETTING AND

participants328 participants were recruited prospectively for the derivation cohort, from seven university-affiliated student health centres in Ireland. Participants were young adults (17-39 years old, mean age 20.6 years) with sore throat and one other additional symptom suggestive of IM. The validation cohort was a retrospective cohort of 1498 participants from a student health centre at the University of Georgia, USA.

main outcome measuresRegression analyses were used to develop four CPR models, internally validated in the derivation cohort. External validation was carried out in the geographically separate validation cohort.

resultsIn the derivation cohort, there were 328 participants, of whom 42 (12.8%) had a positive EBV serology test result. Of 1498 participants in the validation cohort, 243 (16.2%) had positive heterophile antibody tests for IM. Four alternative CPR models were developed and compared. There was moderate discrimination and good calibration for all models. The sparsest CPR included presence of enlarged/tender posterior cervical lymph nodes and presence of exudate on the pharynx. This model had moderate discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC): 0.70; 95% CI: 0.62-0.79) and good calibration. On external validation, this model demonstrated reasonable discrimination (AUC: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.67-0.72) and good calibration.

conclusionsThe alternative CPRs proposed can provide quantitative probability estimates of IM. Used in conjunction with serological testing for atypical lymphocytosis and immunoglobulin testing for viral capsid antigen, CPRs can enhance diagnostic decision-making for IM in community settings.

Indexed as

Epstein-Barr Virus InfectionsInfectious MononucleosisPharyngitisAdolescentAdultAntigens, ViralClinical Decision RulesHerpesvirus 4, HumanHumansPainProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesYoung AdultAntigens, Viralinfectious diseasesprimary carepublic health

Identifiers

PMID36849213
PMCPMC9972438
OpenAlexW4322505612

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.