The accuracy of physical diagnostic tests for assessing meniscal lesions of the knee: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Our systematic review summarizes the evidence about the accuracy of those tests. SEARCH STRATEGY: We performed a literature search of MEDLINE (1966-1999) and EMBASE (1988-1999) with additional reference tracking. SELECTION CRITERIA: Articles written in English, French, German, or Dutch, that addressed the accuracy of at least one physical diagnostic test for meniscus injury with arthrotomy, arthroscopy, or magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard were included. We excluded studies if no reference group or only test-positives had been included, if the study pertained to cadavers only, or if only physical examination under anesthesia was considered. DATA COLLECTION/ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently selected studies, assessed the methodologic quality, and abstracted data using a standardized protocol. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios for each test, and summary estimates when appropriate and possible. MAIN RESULTS: Of 402 identified studies, 13 met the inclusion criteria. The results of the index and reference tests were assessed independently (blindly) of each other in only 2 studies, and in all studies verification bias seemed to be present. The study results were highly heterogeneous The summary receiver operating characteristic curves of the assessment of joint effusion, the McMurray test and joint line tenderness indicated little discriminative power for these tests. Only the predictive value of a positive McMurray test was favorable. CONCLUSIONS: The methodologic quality of studies addressing the diagnostic accuracy of meniscal tests was poor, and the results were highly heterogeneous. The poor characteristics indicate that these tests are of little value for clinical practice.

Systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in melanoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography (PET) with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is a rapidly developing new imaging technique in the diagnosis and staging of melanoma. The objective of the current study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET in patients with melanoma. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies regarding FDG-PET and cutaneous melanoma was conducted. Studies were identified by a comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Current Contents databases, without any language restrictions. Eleven studies were selected. The methodologic quality of these studies was assessed independently by two reviewers. Levels of evidence and grades of recommendation were determined for each study. Six studies could be included in the statistical pooling. Sources of heterogeneity were studied by meta-regression of the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). A summary receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated. RESULTS: The pooled sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET in the detection of melanoma metastases were 0.79 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.66-0.93) and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78-0.95), respectively. The pooled DOR of 33.1 (95% CI, 21.9-54.0) suggests a high diagnostic accuracy for PET. Subgroup analysis revealed that PET is more accurate for systemic staging (DOR of 36.4) than for regional staging (DOR of 19.5). When used for regional staging, PET performed better in patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage III disease, compared with patients with Stage I and Stage II disease. However, the methodologic quality of the studies was limited. Major problems were verification, review, and selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the poor methodologic quality of the available studies, to the authors' knowledge it is yet not possible to develop guidelines for the effective use of PET in patients with melanoma. Future accuracy studies should meet the methodologic criteria outlined in the current review.

The test of Lasègue: systematic review of the accuracy in diagnosing herniated discs.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of the literature including statistical meta-analysis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate published methods of the test of Lasègue or straight leg raising test and the cross straight leg raising test by using a recently developed criteria list and to summarize and explore reasons for variation in diagnostic accuracy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Little evidence exists on the diagnostic accuracy of the widely used straight leg raising test and the cross straight leg raising test in diagnosing herniated discs in patients with low back pain. METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE searches up to 1997 showed 17 diagnostic publications evaluating the straight leg raising test with surgery as reference standard. Quality of methods was assessed with a specific checklist. Eleven studies were selected for statistical pooling. Sources of variation and heterogeneity were studied by meta-regression of the diagnostic odds ratio. RESULTS: All studies were surgical case-series at nonprimary care level. Verification-bias was obvious in one study. Pooled sensitivity for straight leg raising test was 0. 91 (95% CI 0.82-0.94), pooled specificity 0.26 (95% CI 0.16-0.38). Pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 3.74 (95% CI 1.2-11.4). Discriminative power was lower in recent studies, in studies with only inclusion of primary hernias, and with blind assessment of both the index-test (straight leg raising test) and the reference (surgery). For the cross straight leg raising test pooled sensitivity was 0.29 (95% CI 0.24-0.34), pooled specificity was 0.88 (95% CI 0.86-0.90), and the pooled diagnostic odds ratio 4.39 (95% CI 0.74-25.9). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic accuracy of the straight leg raising test is limited by its low specificity. Discriminative power decreased with a more valid design, a more homogenous case-mix, and year of publication. Although the studies may reflect everyday clinical practice, they do not enable a valid evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of both tests. Diagnostic research should evaluate the validity of the complete diagnostic process and study the evidence of the added value of the different tests used. [Key words: sensitivity, specificity, diagnosis, meta-analysis, test of Lasègue, straight leg raising test]

How to perform a comprehensive search for FDG-PET literature.

In this study, a comprehensive, unbiassed search strategy for identifying literature on fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in Medline, Embase and Current Contents was developed, with specific search strategies for each database, using MeSH terms as well as free text words for PET and FDG. To examine which text words apply to FDG, we evaluated the ways of spelling FDG in a random sample of FDG-PET articles (n = 100). These words were used as free text words in the two databases and overlap was determined. PET publications were identified using the text words "positron emission tomography" and "pet$" combined with the respective MeSH terms for each database. To compare the yield of the combined FDG-PET strategy in each database, the retrieved citations were downloaded to Pro-Cite 4.0. Finally, we added search terms for lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer and lymphoma to our strategy and to a short strategy (consisting of the text words "positron emission tomography" and "fdg"). In order to measure the yield and precision (positive predictive value, PPV) of our search strategy and compare it with the short one, we screened the title and abstract of the retrieved citations. Reviewing a random sample of the FDG-PET literature yielded 56 different ways of spelling FDG. We confined the list to 11 text words, without missing articles. Of the publications retrieved by these text words, only 4% were indexed by the MeSH term "Fludeoxyglucose F18" in Medline and 29% by the MeSH-term "Fluorodeoxyglucose F18" in Embase. Only 51% of PET articles were indexed by the MeSH term "Tomography, emission-computed" in Medline and 40% by the MeSH term "Positron emission tomography" in Embase. The combined search strategy for identifying studies on FDG and PET resulted in 2865 publications in Medline and 2646 in Embase. Medline identified 1662 publications not found by Embase; Embase identified 1422 publications not found by Medline. Compared with the short strategy, our search strategy yielded on average 52% more publications (94%, 41% and 20% more in Medline, Embase and Current Contents, respectively). The PPV of our strategy (percent of publications that were really on PET, FDG and the specified subject) was 70%, compared with 76% using the short strategy. Regardless of the strategy used, Embase yielded more publications and was also slightly more specific than Medline. With the recommended strategy, FDG-PET publications can be identified more efficiently. We have shown the importance of searching more than one database and emphasize the use of both MeSH terms and text words in a search strategy. Standardization of the spelling of FDG and indexing of articles on FDG would substantially simplify searching.

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in institutionalized intellectually disabled individuals.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was randomly investigated among Dutch and Belgian intellectually disabled individuals. METHODS: In six institutes including 1607 residents, 435 persons with IQ <50 underwent 24-h esophageal pH-metry and were scored for possible predisposing factors and characteristic reflux symptoms. In 49 (11.2%) cases the test failed because of technical reasons. A pathological pH test was defined as a pH <4 for >4.5% of the measured time. Subjects with a pathological pH test (patients) were compared with those with a normal pH test (controls). RESULTS: Of the remaining individuals, 51.8% (200/386) showed a normal pH test, whereas 186 showed a pathological pH test (median duration pH <4: 14.2%, range: 4.5-78.4%). As possible predisposing factors scoliosis, cerebral palsy, use of anticonvulsant drugs or other benzodiazepines, and IQ <35 were found, whereas symptoms such as vomiting, hematemesis, rumination, and depressive symptoms were indicative for reflux. At endoscopy reflux esophagitis was diagnosed in 129 of the 186 patients (69.4%). In 61 (47.3%) of 129 patients, grade I, 43 (33.3%) grade II, 25 (19.4%) grade III/IV (Savary-Miller) were found. Barrett's esophagus was found in 18 (14.0%) and peptic strictures in five (3.9%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: An abnormal 24-h pH-metry and symptoms suggestive for GERD were documented frequently in a large cohort of institutionalized intellectually disabled individuals. Further endoscopical evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis in the majority of these individuals.

Serological markers to differentiate between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

AIM: To assess prospectively the value of three serological tests for differentiating between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, used either alone or combined. METHODS: Coded serum samples from 63 patients with ulcerative colitis and 67 patients with Crohn's disease were analysed. Detection assays for the presence of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA), serum agglutinating antibodies to anaerobic coccoid rods, and specific IgG antibodies against a Kd-45/48 immunological crossreactive mycobacterial antigen complex (ImCrAC) were studied. Sensitivity, specificity, pre- and post-test probabilities, likelihood ratios, and predictive values of each of these serological tests were determined. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the pANCA test for the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis were 61 and 79%, respectively. The serum agglutination test for anaerobic coccoid rods had a sensitivity of 42% and a specificity of 89% for a diagnosis of Crohn's disease. The sensitivity of specific IgG antibodies against Kd-45/48 ImCrAC in diagnosing Crohn's disease was 70% and specificity 60%. Although 100% specificity was achieved by combining all three tests in a small group of patients with Crohn's disease (n = 20), combining two or more tests had no additive clinical value. No correlation was found between the presence of any one of these antibodies and disease activity, duration, or localisation of disease. Surgery or medical treatment did not influence the presence of antibodies or the antibody titre. CONCLUSIONS: The value of these tests in the differential diagnosis between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is limited, but the high predictive values and specificities of different tests for both diseases suggest that these tests may be of help in studying disease heterogeneity and in defining different subgroups of patients with different pathogenesis.

Carcinoma of the soft palate and anterior tonsillar pillar.

The results after treatment of a total of 52 patients between 1974 and 1990 for squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate and anterior tonsillar pillar by surgery, radiotherapy, or a combination of the two are reported in the present study. Of the 45 patients who were treated for cure, 38 were treated by surgery, followed by radiotherapy in 19 patients (50%). Five patients received definitive radiotherapy only, and 2 were treated by other modalities such as intra-arterial methotrexate and carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. Absolute and determinant 5-year survival rates were 62% and 77%, respectively. Sixty-four percent of patients survived 5 years recurrence-free, and 27% developed multiple primary tumors in the head and neck. Tumor stages III and IV were shown to decrease survival by half compared to stages I and II. A 42% occult nodal metastases rate was observed, and 3 of 11 patients experienced regional relapse in an untreated neck. From this review it appears that surgery, combined with postoperative radiotherapy when indicated, is an effective form of treatment for carcinoma of the soft palate and anterior tonsillar pillar.