Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39880424›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Improving the diagnostic accuracy of referrals for papilloedema (DIPP) study: protocol for a mixed-methods study.

Alyson Huntley, Olivia Skrobot, Matthew J Ridd, Mary-Ann Sherratt, Marcia Lucraft, Christina Stokes, Michael Bowen, Beth Stuart, Samuel William David Merriel, Denize Atan and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. 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
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  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

11 authors.

Alyson HuntleyCentre of Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK alyson.huntley@bristol.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9409-7891
Olivia SkrobotCentre of Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Matthew J RiddCentre of Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Mary-Ann SherrattUniversity of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
Marcia LucraftCentre of Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Christina StokesCentre of Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Michael BowenDirector of Research, The College of Optometrists, London, UK.
Beth StuartWolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5432-7437
Samuel William David MerrielCentre for Primary Care & Health Services Research, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Denize AtanBristol Eye Hospital, University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
DIPP group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPapilloedema can be the first sign of life-threatening disease, for example, brain tumours. Due to the potential seriousness of this clinical sign, the detection of papilloedema would normally prompt urgent hospital referral for further investigation. The problem is that many benign structural variations of optic nerve anatomy can be mistaken for papilloedema, so-called pseudopapilloedema. The consequence is that many people are referred to hospital because they are incorrectly identified to have papilloedema when they don't. As a result, hospital referrals of people with suspected papilloedema in England have increased sharply, leading to increased demand for overstretched hospital services and potentially longer waiting times for hospital appointments for those who do have papilloedema.The work programme is aimed at the development of guidelines and educational materials that will help support health professionals to correctly identify people with papilloedema. This article describes the protocol for gathering evidence of current referral practices and pathways for people suspected to have papilloedema in England and the development of guidelines based on this evidence and extensive engagement with community- and hospital-based healthcare professionals, patients, and the public. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected from Freedom of Information requests to Integrated Care Boards across England about how they organise their community and hospital services for people with suspected papilloedema, with and without headache. Surveys and qualitative interviews of relevant community and hospital healthcare professionals based in England will collect data on how and when people with papilloedema and pseudopapilloedema with or without headache are currently identified and referred to hospital, if needed. This information will be used to inform a Delphi process with the aim of reaching consensus among health professional experts, commissioners and patients on what the most evidence-based and safe diagnostic and referral practices should be for people with suspected papilloedema. The tailored guidelines will be written for healthcare professionals and patients. We will create a range of educational materials and a website designed for health professionals and patients to support the national roll-out and implementation of DIPP study guidelines. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was granted by the University of Bristol Faculty of Health Sciences Ethics committee (FREC reference: 12457) and Health Research Authority (IRAS no.: 320395). Results of the study will be published on our DIPP study website and disseminated to our stakeholder groups through peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations.

Indexed as

PapilledemaReferral and ConsultationEnglandEye Diseases, HereditaryHumansOptic Nerve DiseasesQualitative ResearchResearch DesignOPHTHALMOLOGYPrimary Health CareQUALITATIVE RESEARCHSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID39880424
PMCPMC11781146

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.