Diagnosis of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD): development and validation of a clinical prediction rule in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing suspected left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in the community is a challenge for GPs. We developed and validated a clinical prediction rule (CPR) for LVSD based on history, examination and electrocardiogram (ECG). METHODS: Prospective cohort studies of 458 symptomatic patients (derivation cohort) and 535 patients (validation cohort) in 26 general practices in Tayside and Fife, Scotland. All patients underwent a structured clinical examination and ECG and the 'reference standard' investigation of echocardiography to establish the presence of LVSD. RESULTS: Four elements from the clinical history and examination were all independently associated with LVSD--male sex [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.5; 95% CI 1.1, 5.0], presence of orthopnoea (OR 5.4; 1.9, 13.8) history of myocardial infarction (OR 5.6; 2.3, 13.6) and elevated jugular venous pulsations (OR 15.1; 4.6, 49.3). Addition of ECG (OR 20.6; 2.7, 158.6) provides important diagnostic information in terms of probability of LVSD. A CPR based on the presence or absence of these five elements will generate probabilities ranging from 1% to 97% for LVSD when applied to an individual patient. In the validation cohort, the model under-predicted the probability of LVSD, particularly at lower levels of expected risk, reflecting differences in the risk-factor profiles of the derivation and validation cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The derived CPR provides quantitative estimates of post-test probability for LVSD. This rule requires further validation in other populations and settings because of the difficulties encountered in the validation cohort.

Agreement between community echocardiography and hospital echocardiography in patients suspected of having left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Smaller echocardiography machines, when used in hospitals, are accurate for detecting left ventricular dysfunction and valvular disease. This paper assessed the detection of left ventricular dysfunction and of valvular disease in the community setting by a smaller machine. AIMS: To measure the agreement in patients with suspected heart failure between community echocardiography and traditional echocardiography in the hospital in detecting left ventricular dysfunction and significant valve disease. METHODS: Suspected heart failure patients were referred to one of the authors (SJ) for community echocardiography using a Siemens Cypress machine. The patients had a second echocardiogram in the hospital by another sonographer who was blinded to the results of the first echocardiogram. The reports of the two sonographers were assessed for agreement using kappa statistics. RESULTS: 458 patients had a community echocardiogram and 136 agreed to a second echocardiogram in the hospital. There was excellent agreement, kappa = 0.87 (0.06 SE), for the detection of left ventricular dysfunction between community echocardiography and the hospital machine. The detection of significant valvular disease was good, kappa = 0.75 (0.06) between the community echocardiogram and hospital machines. CONCLUSIONS: In suspected heart failure patients, community echocardiography gives comparable results to traditional hospital echocardiography for left ventricular dysfunction detection and for significant valvular disease detection.

Which acute stroke patients with atrial fibrillation are prescribed warfarin therapy? Results from one-year's experience in Dundee.

The recommended treatment of ischaemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is anticoagulation therapy with warfarin sodium and if this is contraindicated then aspirin should be used. The management of patients on warfarin therapy can be complicated and there is a risk of intra-cranial haemorrhage in elderly patients. However, these are the patients who stand to gain the most benefit from this treatment and therefore increased use of warfarin for secondary prophylaxis is likely to lead to a lower rate of subsequent admissions and less morbidity. The recommended treatment for these patients has often not been fully instigated in practice. This study was carried out in order to determine whether a group of patients admitted to a teaching hospital with diagnosis of ischaemic stroke and atrial fibrillation received appropriate antithrombotic therapy. Details of patients admitted with acute stroke during 1997 were obtained from the Dundee Stroke Database and information was extracted from the relevant clinical notes. Twenty-five out of 42 patients (60%) were considered eligible for anticoagulation and 14 out of those 25 (56%) were found to be on warfarin either on admission or subsequently. Of patients aged less than 75 years, 8/10 (80%) were on warfarin, whereas only 6/15 (40%) of those aged 75 years and older were being anticoagulated.

Response to open access endoscopy findings by general practitioners guidelines need education for implementation.

General practitioners may gain valuable information from the use of open access endoscopy. The benefit to the individual patient depends on the interpretation of the endoscopy findings and the subsequent action. The aim of the study was to determine GPs response to open access endoscopy findings of three conditions with possible malignant complications: Barrett's oesophagus, gastric ulcer and colonic adenomatous polyps. The study took place at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. Using the endoscopy unit's records for the year, 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1995, all patients having had an open access upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy or sigmoidoscopy were identified. Case-notes were reviewed of patients who had Barrett's oesophagus, gastric ulcer or colonic polyps diagnosed. During the year, 1158 upper gastro-intestinal endoscopies and 293 sigmoidoscopies were performed by the open access service. The referral rates for the conditions were as follows: Barrett's oesophagus 56%; Gastric ulcers 56%; Adenomatous polyps 88%; Non adenomatous polyps 12.5%. The provision of guidelines does not ensure a high referral rate, education is a vital partner.

Accuracy and precision of the TAS analyser for near-patient INR testing by non-pathology staff in the community.

AIMS: To assess the accuracy and precision of INR measurement by trained practice and district nursing staff using the Thrombolytic Assessment System (TAS) analyser. METHODS: Seventeen nurses from four practices were trained to measure INR using the TAS analyser on citrated capillary blood samples. Quality control (QC) consisted of: daily internal QC using normal and abnormal commercial plasmas; monthly local external QC scheme using fresh citrated venous blood; and registration of all analysers in the NEQAS (national external quality assessment scheme) main users scheme. RESULTS: Analysis of internal QC results demonstrated satisfactory interanalyser and intra-analyser precision with no evidence of analytical drift in any of the four practice analysers over an eight month period. Local and national external QC results confirmed the interanalyser precision but INR was underestimated by the TAS analysers compared with the CA 1000 using either Diagen rabbit brain thromboplastin or Innovin, and with other NEQAS users. CONCLUSIONS: The TAS analyser has many features to commend it for use by nonpathology staff to determine INR. Local internal and external QC and entry into the NEQAS main users group are possible because the TAS analyses citrated plasma or blood. The TAS analyser underestimates INR when the geometric mean normal prothrombin time (GMNPT) is determined by conventional methods. A local correction factor can be introduced by adjusting the normal PT to give INR results comparable with the local laboratory. This is particularly desirable when INRs are measured using both near-patient and laboratory analytical systems on different occasions.

Repeat prescribing of ulcer healing drugs in general practice--prevalence and underlying diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The long-term use of ulcer healing drugs in the management of dyspepsia is controversial. We have investigated repeat prescribing of these drugs in a general practice population. AIMS: To identify the number of patients authorized to receive repeat prescriptions for ulcer healing drugs, and to review the investigation status and diagnosis in these patients. SUBJECTS: A total of 15,495 patients registered with eight general practitioners in seven general practices in Dundee, UK. METHODS: Case ascertainment by review of practice repeat prescribing registers. Data regarding investigation and diagnosis obtained by retrospective review of general practice case records. RESULTS: Six hundred and seventy-nine (4.4% of the total population) were authorized to receive repeat prescriptions for ulcer healing drugs. Six hundred and fifty-one (4.2%) were authorized to receive repeat prescriptions for H2-antagonists. Ranitidine was prescribed in 583 (86% of patients receiving ulcer healing drugs). Endoscopy had been performed in 426 (63%) and barium meal alone in 113 (17%); 140 (21%) had not been investigated. A diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease or oesophagitis was established in 382 (56%). However, 157 investigated patients (23% of all patients on ulcer healing drugs) did not have a peptic diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of repeat prescribing of ulcer healing drugs in the general practice population studied was 4.4%, but 44% of these patients did not have a confirmed diagnosis of acid peptic disease.

Risk factors and prognosis in primary biliary cirrhosis.

The relationship between survival and 25 clinical and histologic variables was studied in 195 patients (171 women, 24 men) who satisfied stringent criteria for the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis. The mean duration of follow-up was 6 yr (range 0-17). One hundred and sixteen patients died, 84% as the result of liver disease and 16% from nonhepatic causes. Using the Kaplan-Meier estimate, we calculated the mortality from liver disease to be 40% after 5 yr and 60% after 10 yr. Ascites, serum bilirubin level, variceal hemorrhage, and age were identified as independent clinical risk factors, and extent of hepatic fibrosis, bilirubinostasis, and Mallory's hyalin were identified as independent histologic risk factors correlating with reduced survival.

Breast cancer in women with primary biliary cirrhosis.

The occurrence of extrahepatic malignancy was studied in 195 unselected patients who satisfied predetermined biochemical, immunological, and histological criteria for the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis. The incidence of breast cancer in women with primary biliary cirrhosis was found to be significantly higher than in an age and sex matched control population from the same well defined geographical area (p less than 0.0015). The association of breast cancer and primary biliary cirrhosis remains unexplained, though diminished immunological surveillance, fat soluble vitamin deficiency, or endocrine dysfunction may play a part.

Serum Fc gamma-receptor-like molecules in primary biliary cirrhosis: a possible immunoregulatory mechanism.

Functionally active Fc gamma-receptor-like molecules were isolated from normal human serum by affinity chromatography and shown to have an apparent molecular weight (MW) of approximately 60,000 as assessed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These low MW Fc gamma-receptor-like molecules were found to be significantly reduced in whole serum, and in all of six serum fractions, obtained from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). A high MW IgG-binding factor, with partial Fc gamma-receptor-like activity, was also found in PBC serum. This factor was also observed to a lesser extent in normal serum. Detailed analysis of this factor suggests that it is a large macromolecule consisting of antigen (unknown). IgG class antibody and 60K Fc gamma-receptor-like molecules. Binding of serum Fc gamma R-like molecules to immune complexes may account for the apparent reduction in Fc gamma-receptor-like activity observed in whole PBC serum. These macromolecules may play an important role in immunoregulation.

A double-blind randomized trial of cimetidine in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Two hundred and thirteen patients were studied in a double-blind trial of cimetidine versus placebo in the treatment of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. One hundred and six patients were randomly allocated to receive cimetidine and 107 to receive placebo. There was no significant reduction in transfusion requirements, incidence of further haemorrhage, length of stay in hospital, or mortality in the treated group. There was no subgroup of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding which appeared to benefit from treatment with cimetidine.

A case of longstanding primary sclerosing cholangitis.

A 45-year-old man is described in whom there is currently ERCP and histological evidence of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). A liver biopsy obtained 29 years ago shows similar histological features confirming that he had PSC at that time. This case indicates that PSC may follow a relatively benign course.

A family study of vitiligo patterns.

The anatomical distribution of vitiligo has been studied in families with evidence of organ-specific autoimmune disease. No examples of similar pattern inheritance were found in first degree relatives in contrast to published reports of similar vitiligo patterns in identical twins. The genetic predisposition to develop vitiligo apparently allows for a diversity of anatomical pattern. A similar mechanism may be responsible for the occurrence of different organ-specific autoimmune diseases in members of the same family.

Skin maps in vitiligo.

Patterns of depigmentation in vitiligo are illustrated which appear to form maps of obscure local anatomical subdivisions of the human skin. These are distinctive but as yet poorly defined and do not generally correspond to known anatomical structures or boundaries.