scholarly journals Clinical features of bowel disease in patients aged <50 years in primary care: a large case-control study

2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (658) ◽  
pp. e336-e344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally A Stapley ◽  
Greg P Rubin ◽  
Deborah Alsina ◽  
Elizabeth A Shephard ◽  
Matthew D Rutter ◽  
...  

BackgroundIncidences of colorectal cancer (CRC) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasing in those aged <50 years.AimTo identify and quantify clinical features in primary care of CRC/IBD in those aged <50 years. This study considered the two conditions together and aimed to determine which younger patients, presenting in primary care with symptoms, would benefit from investigation for potentially serious colorectal disease.Design and settingMatched case-control study using primary care records from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, UK.MethodIncident cases (aged <50 years) of CRC (n = 1661) and IBD (n = 9578) diagnosed between 2000 and 2013 were each matched with up to three controls (n = 3979 CRC; n = 22 947 IBD). Odds ratios (OR) and positive predictive values (PPV) were estimated for features of CRC/IBD in the year before diagnosis.ResultsTen features were independently associated with CRC/IBD (all P<0.001): rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit, diarrhoea, raised inflammatory markers, thrombocytosis, abdominal pain, low mean cell volume (MCV), low haemoglobin, raised white cell count, and raised hepatic enzymes. PPVs were >3% for rectal bleeding with diarrhoea, thrombocytosis, low MCV, low haemoglobin or raised inflammatory markers; for change in bowel habit with low MCV, thrombocytosis or low haemoglobin; and for diarrhoea with thrombocytosis.ConclusionThis study quantified the risk of serious bowel disease in symptomatic patients aged <50 years in primary care. Rectal bleeding and change in bowel habit are strongly predictive of CRC/IBD when combined with abnormal haematology. The present findings help prioritise patients for colonoscopy where the diagnosis is not immediately apparent.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Talha Bashir ◽  
Lisa Iversen ◽  
Christopher Burton

Abstract Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often has a long period from first symptom presentation to diagnosis. We examined the occurrence of symptoms, prescriptions and diagnostic tests in primary care electronic records over time prior to a diagnosis of AS.Methods Nested case-control study using anonymised primary care electronic health records from Scotland. Cases were 100 adults with a first diagnosis of AS between 1994 and 2010. Controls were matched for age, sex and GP practice: (a) 400 randomly selected adults (b) 236 adults whose records contained codes indicating spinal conditions or symptoms. We extracted clinical features (symptoms, AS-related disorders, prescriptions and diagnostic tests). Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between clinical features (both individually and in combinations) and diagnosis of AS. We examined the associations between clinical features and diagnosis over time prior to diagnosis.Results Several new composite pointers were predictive of AS: including distinct episodes of axial pain separated by more than 6 months (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.8 to 7.5) and the co-occurrence of axial pain with either large joint symptoms (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.3) or tendon symptoms within the same year (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 10.3). Coded episodes of axial pain increased steadily over the three years before diagnosis. In contrast, large joint symptoms and enthesopathy showed little or no time trend prior to diagnosis.Conclusions We identified novel composite pointers to a diagnosis of AS in GP records. These may represent valuable targets for diagnostic support systems.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 772-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A. Hanson ◽  
Edward V. Loftus ◽  
Scott W. Harmsen ◽  
Nancy N. Diehl ◽  
Alan R. Zinsmeister ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Talha Bashir ◽  
Lisa Iversen ◽  
Christopher Burton

Abstract Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often has a long period from first symptom presentation to diagnosis. We examined the occurrence of symptoms, prescriptions and diagnostic tests in primary care electronic records over time prior to a diagnosis of AS.Methods Nested case-control study using anonymised primary care electronic health records from Scotland. Cases were 100 adults with a first diagnosis of AS between 1994 and 2010. Controls were matched for age, sex and GP practice: (a) 400 randomly selected adults (b) 236 adults whose records contained codes indicating spinal conditions or symptoms. We extracted clinical features (symptoms, AS-related disorders, prescriptions and diagnostic tests). Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between clinical features (both individually and in combinations) and diagnosis of AS. We examined the associations between clinical features and diagnosis over time prior to diagnosis.Results Several new composite pointers were predictive of AS: including distinct episodes of axial pain separated by more than 6 months (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.8 to 7.5) and the co-occurrence of axial pain with either large joint symptoms (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.3) or tendon symptoms within the same year (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 10.3). Coded episodes of axial pain increased steadily over the three years before diagnosis. In contrast, large joint symptoms and enthesopathy showed little or no time trend prior to diagnosis.Conclusions We identified novel composite pointers to a diagnosis of AS in GP records. These may represent valuable targets for diagnostic support systems.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Talha Bashir ◽  
Lisa Iversen ◽  
Christopher Burton

Abstract Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often has a long period from first symptom presentation to diagnosis. We examined the occurrence of symptoms, prescriptions and diagnostic tests in primary care electronic records over time prior to a diagnosis of AS.Methods Nested case-control study using anonymised primary care electronic health records from Scotland. Cases were 74 adults with a first diagnosis of AS between 2000 and 2010. Controls were matched for age, sex and GP practice: (a) 296 randomly selected adults (b) 169 adults whose records contained codes indicating spinal conditions or symptoms. We extracted clinical features (symptoms, AS-related disorders, prescriptions and diagnostic tests). Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between clinical features (both individually and in combinations) and diagnosis of AS. We examined the associations between clinical features and diagnosis over time prior to diagnosis.Results Several new composite pointers were predictive of AS: including distinct episodes of axial pain separated by more than 6 months (OR 12.7, 95% CI 4.7 to 34.6); the occurrence of axial pain with and tendon symptoms within the same year (OR 21.7, 95% CI 2.6 to 181.5); and the co-occurrence (within 30 days) of axial pain and a prescription for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (OR 10.4, 95%CI 4.9 to 22.1). Coded episodes of axial pain increased steadily over the three years before diagnosis. In contrast, large joint symptoms and enthesopathy showed little or no time trend prior to diagnosis. Conclusions We identified novel composite pointers to a diagnosis of AS in GP records. These may represent valuable targets for diagnostic support systems.


2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (637) ◽  
pp. e516-e522 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Hamilton ◽  
Jacqueline Barrett ◽  
Sally Stapley ◽  
Debbie Sharp ◽  
Peter Rose

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Talha Bashir ◽  
Lisa Iversen ◽  
Christopher Burton

Abstract Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often has a long period from first symptom presentation to diagnosis. We examined the occurrence of symptoms, prescriptions and diagnostic tests in primary care electronic records over time prior to a diagnosis of AS. Methods Nested case-control study using anonymised primary care electronic health records from Scotland. Cases were 74 adults with a first diagnosis of AS between 2000 and 2010. Controls were matched for age, sex and GP practice: (a) 296 randomly selected adults (b) 169 adults whose records contained codes indicating spinal conditions or symptoms. We extracted clinical features (symptoms, AS-related disorders, prescriptions and diagnostic tests). Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between clinical features (both individually and in combinations) and diagnosis of AS. We examined the associations between clinical features and diagnosis over time prior to diagnosis. Results Several new composite pointers were predictive of AS: including distinct episodes of axial pain separated by more than 6 months (OR 12.7, 95% CI 4.7 to 34.6); the occurrence of axial pain with and tendon symptoms within the same year (OR 21.7, 95% CI 2.6 to 181.5); and the co-occurrence (within 30 days) of axial pain and a prescription for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (OR 10.4, 95%CI 4.9 to 22.1). Coded episodes of axial pain increased steadily over the three years before diagnosis. In contrast, large joint symptoms and enthesopathy showed little or no time trend prior to diagnosis. Conclusions We identified novel composite pointers to a diagnosis of AS in GP records. These may represent valuable targets for diagnostic support systems.


2013 ◽  
Vol 63 (609) ◽  
pp. e250-e255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Shephard ◽  
Richard Neal ◽  
Peter Rose ◽  
Fiona Walter ◽  
William T Hamilton

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (673) ◽  
pp. e559-e565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A Shephard ◽  
William T Hamilton

BackgroundTesticular cancer incidence has risen over the last two decades and is expected to continue to rise. There are no primary care studies on the clinical features of testicular cancer, with recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance based solely upon clinical consensus.AimTo identify clinical features of testicular cancer and to quantify their risk in primary care patients, with the aim of improving the selection of patients for investigation.Design and settingA matched case–control study in males aged ≥17 years, using Clinical Practice Research Datalink records.MethodPutative clinical features of testicular cancer were identified and analysed using conditional logistic regression. Positive predictive values (PPVs) were calculated for those aged <50 years.ResultsIn all, 1398 cases were available, diagnosed between 2000 and 2012, with 4956 age-, sex-, and practice-matched controls. Nine features were independently associated with testicular cancer, the top three being testicular swelling (odds ratio [OR] 280, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 110 to 690), testicular lump (OR 270, 95% CI = 100 to 740), and scrotal swelling (OR 170, 95% CI = 35 to 800). The highest PPV for 17–49-year-olds was testicular lump, at 2.5% (95% CI = 1.1 to 5.6). Combining testicular lump with testicular swelling or testicular pain produced PPVs of 17% and 10%, respectively.ConclusionTesticular enlargement carries a risk of cancer of 2.5% — close to the current 3% threshold in UK referral guidance. Contrary to traditional teaching, painful testicular enlargement may signify cancer. Some initial hydrocele diagnoses appear to be wrong, with missed cancers, suggesting an ultrasound may be useful when a hydrocele diagnosis is uncertain. These results support the existing NICE guidelines, and help to characterise when an ultrasound should be considered in symptomatic men.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary J. Kwasny ◽  
Denise M. Oleske ◽  
Jorge Zamudio ◽  
Robert Diegidio ◽  
Günter U. Höglinger

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder that is difficult for primary care physicians to recognize due to its progressive nature and similarities to other neurologic disorders. This case-control study aimed to identify clinical features observed in general practice associated with a subsequent diagnosis of PSP.Methods: We analyzed a de-identified dataset of 152 PSP cases and 3,122 matched controls from electronic medical records of general practices in Germany. We used a random forests algorithm based on machine learning techniques to identify clinical features (medical conditions and treatments received) associated with pre-diagnostic PSP without using an a priori hypothesis. We then assessed the relative effects of the features with the highest importance scores and generated multivariate models using clustered logistic regression analyses to identify a subset of clinical features associated with subsequent PSP diagnosis.Results: Using the random forests approach, we identified 21 clinical features associated with pre-diagnostic PSP (odds ratio ≥2.0 in univariate analyses). From these, we constructed a multivariate model comprising 9 clinical features with ~90% likelihood of identifying a subsequent PSP diagnosis. These features included known PSP symptoms, common misdiagnoses, and 2 novel associations, diabetes mellitus and cerebrovascular disease, which are possible modifiable risk factors for PSP.Conclusion: In this case-control study using data from electronic medical records, we identified 9 clinical features, including 2 previously unknown factors, associated with the pre-diagnostic stage of PSP. These may be used to facilitate recognition of PSP and reduce time to referral by primary care physicians.


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