Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39486889›Full record

ArticleEmergency medicine journal : EMJ2024

Decision analytical modelling of strategies for investigating suspected acute aortic syndrome.

Praveen Thokala, Steve Goodacre, Graham Cooper, Robert Hinchliffe, Matthew J Reed, Steven Thomas, Sarah Wilson, Catherine Fowler, Valérie Lechene

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Emergency medicine journal : EMJ, 2024. 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
–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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
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.

Praveen ThokalaDivision of Population Health, Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, Sheffield, UK p.thokala@sheffield.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4122-2366
Steve GoodacreDivision of Population Health, Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, Sheffield, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0803-8444
Graham CooperCardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Robert HinchliffeDepartment of Vascular Surgery, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury on Trym, UK.
Matthew J ReedRoyal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1308-4824
Steven ThomasAcademic Vascular Unit, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK.
Sarah WilsonEmergency Department, Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3964-0809
Catherine FowlerAortic Dissection Charitable Trust, Chesterfield, UK.
Valérie LecheneAortic Dissection Charitable Trust, Chesterfield, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAcute aortic syndrome (AAS) requires urgent diagnosis with computed tomographic angiography (CTA). Diagnostic strategies need to weigh the benefits of detecting AAS against the costs of using CTA with a low yield of AAS when the prevalence of AAS is low. We aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic strategies using clinical probability scoring and D-dimer to select patients with potential symptoms of AAS for CTA.

methodsWe developed a decision analytical model to simulate the management of patients attending hospital with possible AAS. We modelled diagnostic strategies that used the Aortic Dissection Detection Risk Score (ADD-RS) and D-dimer to select patients for CTA. We used estimates from our meta-analysis, existing literature and clinical experts to model the consequences of diagnostic strategies on survival, health utility, and health and social care costs. We estimated the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-years gained by each strategy compared with the next most effective alternative on the efficiency frontier.

resultsA strategy based on the Canadian guideline (CTA if ADD-RS>1 or ADD-RS=1 with D-dimer >500 ng/mL) is cost-effective but would result in high rates of CTA if applied to an unselected population (AAS prevalence 0.26%). The strategy is also cost-effective and would result in lower rates of CTA if applied to a more selected population, such as those with a non-zero clinical suspicion of AAS (prevalence 0.61%). For patients currently receiving CTA, using ADD-RS>1 or D-dimer >500 ng/mL to select patients for CTA is cost-effective.

conclusionsA strategy using ADD-RS>1 or ADD-RS=1 with D-dimer >500 ng/mL to select patients for CTA appears cost-effective but primary research is required to evaluate this strategy in practice and determine how suspicion of AAS is identified.

Indexed as

Computed Tomography AngiographyCost-Benefit AnalysisDecision Support TechniquesFibrin Fibrinogen Degradation ProductsAcute Aortic SyndromeAcute DiseaseAortic DiseasesAortic DissectionFemaleHumansMaleQuality-Adjusted Life YearsSyndromeFibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Productsfibrin fragment Dcost efficiency

Identifiers

PMID39486889
PMCPMC11671881

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.