The influence of tumor location, histology, and patient ethnicity on the accuracy of EUS in staging gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers.

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 39-39
Author(s):  
Andy Z. Huang ◽  
Yiqing Xu ◽  
Yiwu Huang ◽  
Vimbai Nyemba ◽  
Than Than Aye ◽  
...  

39 Background: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a routine staging test performed in patients with gastric and GEJ cancers and is highly valuable in treatment planning. The reported accuracy varies from 40% to 90%. We aim to investigate the staging performance of EUS at our institution and hypothesize that EUS accuracy can be influenced by tumor location, histology, and patient ethnicity. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with gastric and GEJ cancer between January 2006 and June 2015 who had EUS proceeded directly by surgery. T and N staging by EUS were analyzed for their sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values using surgery as the gold standard. The following variables were evaluated: tumor histology (intestinal or diffuse type), location (GEJ, cardia, body, or antrum), and patient ethnicity (Asian versus non-Asian). Results: Over 46 patients who met the inclusion criteria, EUS had T and N accuracy of 47.8% and 58.7%, respectively (p <.05). EUS had high specificity (88%) but low sensitivity (38%) for N staging. In predicting T staging, EUS was most accurate when the tumor was located in the body (72%, n = 7) and least accurate in the cardia (33%, n = 6) with 46% (n = 13) in the GEJ and 45% (n = 20) in the antrum. EUS tended to upstage the T value when a tumor is located in the body or GEJ, and downstage it in the cardia or antrum. The PPV using EUS for T1, T2, T3, and T4 were 89%, 22%, 45%, and 57%, respectively. The PPV using EUS for N staging was 73%. EUS was more accurate for T in Asians (55%, n = 33) than in non-Asians (31%, n = 13), and in intestinal type (56%) than diffuse (36%). For N staging, it was most accurate in the body (86%) and least accurate in the GEJ (50%). It was also more accurate in diffuse tumors (79%) than intestinal (52%) and more accurate in non-Asians (77%) than in Asians (53%). Conclusions: EUS as a common tool in preoperative staging may be inaccurate when performed in community hospitals. The predictive rate appears to vary in Asian vs non-Asian patients and in intestinal vs diffuse tumors. It is most predictive when the tumor is T1 and located in the gastric body. A prospective study is needed to confirm these findings.

Author(s):  
Luma Cordeiro Rodrigues ◽  
Silvia Ferrite ◽  
Ana Paula Corona

Abstract Purpose This article investigates the validity of a smartphone-based audiometry for hearing screening to identify hearing loss in workers exposed to noise. Research Design This is a validation study comparing hearing screening with the hearTest to conventional audiometry. The study population included all workers who attended the Brazilian Social Service of Industry to undergo periodic examinations. Sensitivity, specificity, the Youden index, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for hearing screening obtained by the hearTest were estimated according to three definitions of hearing loss: any threshold greater than 25 dB hearing level (HL), the mean auditory thresholds for 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz greater than 25 dB HL, and the mean thresholds for 3, 4, and 6 kHz greater than 25 dB HL. Note that 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all measurements. Results A total of 232 workers participated in the study. Hearing screening with the hearTest presented good sensitivity (93.8%), specificity (83.9%), and Youden index (77.7%) values, a NPV (97.2%), and a low PPV (69.0%) for the identification of hearing loss defined as any auditory threshold greater than 25 dB HL. For the other definitions of hearing loss, we observed high specificity, PPV and NPV, as well as low sensitivity and Youden index. Conclusion The hearTest is an accurate hearing screening tool to identify hearing loss in workers exposed to noise, including those with noise-induced hearing loss, although it does not replace conventional audiometry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan ◽  
Peter Alimi ◽  
Micheal O. Alade ◽  
Maha El Tantawi ◽  
Abiola A. Adeniyi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background To determine the validity of maternal reports of the presence of early childhood caries (ECC), and to identify maternal variables that increase the accuracy of the reports. Methods This secondary data analysis included 1155 mother–child dyads, recruited through a multi-stage sampling household approach in Ile-Ife Nigeria. Survey data included maternal characteristics (age, monthly income, decision-making ability) and maternal perception about whether or not her child (age 6 months to 5 years old) had ECC. Presence of ECC was clinically determined using the dmft index. Maternally reported and clinically determined ECC presence were compared using a chi-squared test. McNemar's test was used to assess the similarity of maternal and clinical reports of ECC. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, absolute bias, relative bias and inflation factor were calculated. Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05. Results The clinically-determined ECC prevalence was 4.6% (95% Confidence interval [CI]: 3.5–5.0) while the maternal-reported ECC prevalence was 3.4% (CI 2.4–4.6). Maternal reports underestimated the prevalence of ECC by 26.1% in comparison to the clinical evaluation. The results indicate low sensitivity (9.43%; CI 3.13–20.70) but high specificity (96.9%; CI 95.7–97.9). The positive predictive value was 12.8% (CI 4.3–27.4) while the negative predictive value was 95.7% (CI 94.3–96.8). The inflation factor for maternally reported ECC was 1.4. Sensitivity (50.0%; CI 6.8–93.2) and positive predictive value were highest (33.3%; CI 4.3–77.7) when the child had a history of visiting the dental clinic. Conclusions Mothers under-reported the presence of ECC in their children in this study population. The low sensitivity and positive predictive values of maternal report of ECC indicates that maternal reporting of presence of ECC may not be used as a valid tool to measure ECC in public health surveys. The high specificity and negative predictive values indicate that their report is a good measure of the absence of ECC in the study population. Child’s history of dental service utilization may be a proxy measure of presence of ECC.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (12) ◽  
pp. 992-997
Author(s):  
Zorica Lepsanovic ◽  
Dejana Savic ◽  
Branka Tomanovic

Background/Aim. Traditional methods for detection of mycobacteria, such as microscopic examination for the presence of acid-fast bacilli and isolation of the organism by culture, have either a low sensitivity and/or specificity, or take weeks before a definite result is available. Molecular methods, especially those based on nucleic acid amplification, are rapid diagnostic methods which combine high sensitivity and high specificity. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of the Cobas Amplicor Mycobacterium tuberculosis polymerase chain reaction (CAPCR) assay in detecting the tuberculosis cause in respiratory and nonrespiratory specimens (compared to culture). Methods. Specimens were decontaminated by the N-acetyl-L-cystein- NaOH method. A 500 ?L aliquot of the processed specimen were used for inoculation of L?wenstein-Jensen (L-J) slants, a drop for acid-fast staining, and 100 ?L for PCR. The Cobas Amplicor PCR was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results. A total of 110 respiratory and 355 nonrespiratory specimens were investigated. After resolving discrepancies by reviewing medical history, overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for CA-PCR assay compared to culture, were 83%, 100%, 100%, and 96.8%, respectively. In comparison, they were 50%, 99.7%, 87.5%, and 98%, respectively, for the nonrespiratory specimens. The inhibition rate was 2.8% for respiratory, and 7.6% for nonrespiratory specimens. Conclusion. CA-PCR is a reliable assay that enables specialists to start treatment promptly on a positive test result. Lower value for specificity in a group of nonrespiratory specimens is a consequence of an extremely small number of mycobacteria in some of them.


Author(s):  
Christine D. Butkiewicz ◽  
Cody J. Alcott ◽  
Janelle Renschler ◽  
Lawrence J. Wheat ◽  
Lisa F. Shubitz

Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate the utility of enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for the detection of Coccidioides antigen and antibody in CSF in the diagnosis of CNS coccidioidomycosis in dogs. ANIMALS 51 dogs evaluated for CNS disease in a single specialty center in Tucson in 2016. PROCEDURES Excess CSF after routine analysis was banked after collection from dogs presented to the neurology service. Samples were tested by EIA for presence of Coccidioides antigen and antibody. Clinical data were collected from medical records retrospectively. RESULTS 22 dogs were diagnosed with CNS coccidioidomycosis (CCM) or another neurologic disease (non-CCM). These groups of dogs overlapped in the presenting complaints, MRI results, and routine CSF analysis results. Four dogs, all with CCM, had positive antigen EIA results. With clinical diagnosis used as the reference standard, CSF antigen testing had low sensitivity (20%) but high specificity (100%) for diagnosis of CCM. Ten dogs with CCM and 4 dogs with other diagnoses had antibody detected in CSF by EIA. Sensitivity of CSF antibody testing was 46%, specificity was 86%, and positive and negative predictive values for the study population were 71% and 68%, respectively. Clinical Relevance Diagnosis of CNS coccidioidomycosis in dogs in an endemic region was hampered by overlap of clinical signs with other neurologic disorders and the low sensitivity of confirmatory diagnostics. The evaluated Coccidioides-specific EIAs performed on CSF can aid in the diagnosis. A prospective study is warranted to corroborate and refine these preliminary findings


1999 ◽  
Vol 175 (6) ◽  
pp. 537-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shazad Amin ◽  
Swaran P. Singh ◽  
John Brewin ◽  
Peter B. Jones ◽  
Ian Medley ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe temporal stability of a diagnosis is one measure of its predictive validity.AimsTo measure diagnostic stability in first-episode psychosis using ICD–10 and DSM–III–R.MethodBetween 1992 and 1994 we ascertained a cohort of persons with first-episode psychosis (n=168), assigning to each a consensus diagnosis. At three-year follow-up, longitudinal consensus diagnoses, blind to onset diagnoses, were made. Stability was measured by the positive predictive values (PPVs) of onset diagnoses. For onset schizophrenia, we also calculated sensitivity, specificity and concordance (κ).ResultsFirst-episode ICD–10 and DSM–III–R schizophrenia had a PPV of over 80% at three years. Over one-third of cases with ICD–10 F20 schizophrenia at three years had non-schizophrenia diagnoses at onset. Manic psychoses showed the highest PPV (91%). For onset schizophrenia, both systems had high specificity (ICD–10: 89; DSM–III–R: 93%), but low sensitivity (ICD–10: 64%; DSM–III–R: 51%) and moderate concordance (ICD–10: 0.54; DSM–III–R: 0.46).ConclusionsBipolar disorders and schizophrenia showed the highest stability. DSM–III–R schizophrenia did not have greater stability than ICD–10 schizophrenia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (26) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Vock ◽  
Lisandra Aguilar-Bultet ◽  
Adrian Egli ◽  
Pranita D Tamma ◽  
Sarah Tschudin-Sutter

Background Algorithms for predicting infection with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE) on hospital admission or in patients with bacteraemia have been proposed, aiming to optimise empiric treatment decisions. Aim We sought to confirm external validity and transferability of two published prediction models as well as their integral components. Methods We performed a retrospective case–control study at University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. Consecutive patients with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from blood samples between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2016 were included. For each case, three non-ESBL-producing controls matching for date of detection and bacterial species were identified. The main outcome measure was the ability to accurately predict infection with ESBL-PE by measures of discrimination and calibration. Results Overall, 376 patients (94 patients, 282 controls) were analysed. Performance measures for prediction of ESBL-PE infection of both prediction models indicate adequate measures of calibration, but poor discrimination (area under receiver-operating curve: 0.627 and 0.651). History of ESBL-PE colonisation or infection was the single most predictive independent risk factor for ESBL-PE infection with high specificity (97%), low sensitivity (34%) and balanced positive and negative predictive values (80% and 82%). Conclusions Applying published prediction models to institutions these were not derived from, may result in substantial misclassification of patients considered as being at risk, potentially leading to wrong allocation of antibiotic treatment, negatively affecting patient outcomes and overall resistance rates in the long term. Future prediction models need to address differences in local epidemiology by allowing for customisation according to different settings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-79
Author(s):  
S. Ainan ◽  
F. F. Furia ◽  
F. Mhimbira ◽  
N. P. Mnyambwa ◽  
N. Mgina ◽  
...  

SETTING: Six health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of stool specimens in the diagnostic workup of paediatric TB using the Xpert® MTB/RIF assay.DESIGN: Between December 2018 and May 2019, we performed a cross-sectional diagnostic study of children aged between 1 month and 14 years with presumptive TB. A single stool specimen was tested using Xpert. The result was compared with the reference microbiological standard for respiratory or gastric specimens tested using Xpert and/or solid culture. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of stool Xpert assay were assessed.RESULTS: A total of 225 children with a median age of 2.17 years (IQR 1.16–5.19) were enrolled; 165/225 (73.3%) were aged <5 years. Of 225 children, 8 (3.6%) were diagnosed with TB as they were culture- or Xpert-positive on sputum/gastric aspirate. The stool Xpert assay showed a sensitivity of 62.5% (95% CI 25–92) and specificity of 100% (95% CI 98–100) against the reference standard.CONCLUSION: Use of the Xpert assay on stool specimens had a moderate sensitivity and high specificity in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in children. Our data adds to the body of evidence for the use of Xpert assay on stool as a non-respiratory specimen to complement conventional methods used to diagnose the disease.


Author(s):  
Viktoryia Karchynskaya ◽  
Jaroslava Kopcakova ◽  
Daniel Klein ◽  
Aleš Gába ◽  
Andrea Madarasova-Geckova ◽  
...  

Background: Overweight and obesity are mostly monitored via the Body Mass Index (BMI), based on self-reported or measured height and weight. Previous studies have shown that BMI as a measure of obesity can introduce important misclassification problems. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of overweight and obesity classification based on self-reported and on measured height and weight versus the proportion of body fat as the criterion. Methods: We used data on 782 adolescents (mean age = 13.5, 55.8% boys) from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2018 in Slovakia. We obtained self-reported (height and weight) and objective measures (height, weight) and the proportion of fat (as the criterion measure) measured via bioimpedance body composition analysis (BIA) with an InBody 230 from the adolescents. Results: Both measured and self-reported BMI indicated overweight and obesity with relatively low sensitivity (66–82%), but high specificity (90–92%). The superior accuracy of measured BMI in comparison to self-reported BMI was confirmed by the area under the curve (AUC) based on the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves (AUC measured/self-reported: 0.94/0.89; p < 0.001). The misclassification of overweight and obesity was significantly higher when using self-reported BMI than when using measured BMI. Conclusion: Both self-reported and measured BMI as indicators of overweight and obesity underestimate the prevalence of adolescents with overweight and obesity.


1996 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank E. Musiek ◽  
Cynthia A. McCormick ◽  
Raymond M. Hurley

We performed a retrospective study of 26 patients with acoustic tumors and 26 patients with otologically diagnosed cochlear pathology to determine the sensitivity (hit rate), specificity (false-alarm rate), and efficiency of six auditory brainstem response indices. In addition, a utility value was determined for each of these six indices. The I–V interwave interval, the interaural latency difference, and the absolute latency of wave V provided the highest hit rates, the best A’ values and good utility. The V/I amplitude ratio index provided high specificity but low sensitivity scores. In regard to sensitivity and specificity, using the combination of two indices provided little overall improvement over the best one-index measures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Legnani ◽  
Michela Cini ◽  
Mirella Frascaro ◽  
Giuseppina Rodorigo ◽  
Michelangelo Sartori ◽  
...  

In patients presenting non-high clinical pretest probability (PTP), a negative d-dimer can exclude venous thromboembolism without imaging tests. However, each d-dimer assay should be validated in prospective studies. We evaluated an automated d-dimer immunoassay using the Sclavo Auto d-dimer (Sclavo Diagnostics Int, Sovicille, Italy) provided by Dasit Diagnostica (Cornaredo, Milan, Italy). Three hundred two consecutive outpatients suspected of leg deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with non-high PTP were included. The Sclavo Auto d-dimer assay was evaluated on 2 analyzers (Sysmex CA-7000 and Sysmex CS-2100; Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan, provided by Dasit). The cutoff value (200 ng/mL) was established a priori. Prevalence of DVT was 11.9%. Since no false-negative patients were detected, the sensitivity and negative predictive values (NPVs) were 100% (sensitivity = CA-7000: 100% [95% confidence interval, CI: 93.3-100], CS-2100: 100% [95% CI: 93.3-100]; NPV = CA-7000: 100% [95% CI: 97.9-100], CS-2100: 100% [95% CI: 98.0-100]). Specificity was 65.4% (95% CI: 59.4-71.1) and 69.2% (95% CI: 63.3-74.7) for CA-7000 and CS-2100, respectively. Specificity increased when a higher cutoff value (234 ng/mL) was used for patients aged ≥60 years without compromising the safety. Assay reproducibility was satisfactory at concentrations near the cutoff value (total coefficient of variations <10%). In conclusion, the Sclavo Auto d-dimer assay was accurate when used for DVT diagnostic workup in outpatients with non-high PTP. Based on its high sensitivity and NPV, it can be used as a stand-alone test in outpatients with non-high PTP. Given its high specificity, the number of patients in whom further imaging techniques can be avoided increased, improving the yield of the test.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document