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BMJ Case Reports Feb 2020Peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most challenging forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis to diagnose. This challenge can be compounded in low incidence regions,...
Peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most challenging forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis to diagnose. This challenge can be compounded in low incidence regions, and in patients with cirrhosis in whom the presence of ascites alone may not prompt further investigation. A delay in the diagnosis and treatment of peritoneal tuberculosis may lead to worse clinical outcomes. This case describes a 64-year-old Italian male with decompensated cirrhosis being evaluated for liver transplantation, who developed abdominal pain and a persistent inflammatory ascites with peritoneal thickening despite antibiotic therapy. Peritoneal tuberculosis was suspected, although non-invasive and invasive direct mycobacterial testing remained negative. A constellation of positive QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test, elevated ascitic adenosine deaminase and dramatic symptomatic and radiographic response to empiric anti-tuberculous therapy confirmed the diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis. This paper will review the approach to the diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis.
Topics: Abdominal Pain; Ascites; Diagnosis, Differential; Hematologic Tests; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Peritoneum; Peritonitis, Tuberculous; Positron-Emission Tomography
PubMed: 32033999
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2019-233131 -
Disease-a-month : DM May 2023Lewy Body Dementia is the second most frequent neurodegenerative illness proven to cause dementia, after Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is believed to be vastly... (Review)
Review
Lewy Body Dementia is the second most frequent neurodegenerative illness proven to cause dementia, after Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is believed to be vastly underdiagnosed, as there is a significant disparity between the number of cases diagnosed clinically and those diagnosed via neuropathology at the time of postmortem autopsy. Strikingly, many of the pharmacologic treatments used to treat behavioral and cognitive symptoms in other forms of dementia exacerbate the symptoms of DLB. Therefore, it is critical to accurately diagnose DLB as these patients require a specific treatment approach. This article focuses on its pathophysiology, risk factors, differentials, and its diverse treatment modalities. In this study, an English language literature search was conducted on Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar till April 2022. The following search strings and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms were used: "Lewy Body Dementia," "Dementia with Lewy bodies," and "Parkinson's Disease Dementia." We explored the literature on Lewy Body Dementia for its epidemiology, pathophysiology, the role of various genes and how they bring about the disease, biomarkers, its differential diagnoses and treatment options.
Topics: Humans; Lewy Body Disease; Dementia; Parkinson Disease; Alzheimer Disease; Diagnosis, Differential
PubMed: 35690493
DOI: 10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101441 -
American Family Physician Mar 2020Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is performed by a physician at the bedside and is standard practice in obstetric, emergency, and musculoskeletal medicine. When... (Review)
Review
Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is performed by a physician at the bedside and is standard practice in obstetric, emergency, and musculoskeletal medicine. When compared with formal sonography, POCUS is equivalent in screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm and as accurate in diagnosing deep venous thrombosis. POCUS has high accuracy for diagnosing pneumonia and detecting acute decompensated heart failure but is less accurate than computed tomography for identifying pulmonary embolism. POCUS confirmation of intrauterine pregnancy rules out an ectopic pregnancy. In the third trimester of high-risk pregnancies, umbilical artery Doppler ultrasonography can improve perinatal outcomes. Musculoskeletal POCUS is used to diagnose and guide treatment of many joint and soft tissue conditions. It is as accurate as magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of complete rotator cuff tears. Ultrasound guidance improves outcomes in the placement of central venous catheters and fluid drainage from body cavities and lumbar punctures. Ultrasonography can reduce the use of CT for diagnosis of appendicitis; however, negative scan results do not rule out disease. POCUS can accurately diagnose and rule out gallbladder pathology, and is effective for diagnosing urolithiasis. Focused cardiac ultrasonography can detect pericardial effusion and decreased systolic function, but is less accurate than lung ultrasonography at diagnosing acute heart failure. Limited evidence demonstrates a benefit of diagnosing testicular and gynecologic conditions. The American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, the American College of Radiology, and others offer POCUS training. Training standards for POCUS have been defined for residency programs but are less established for credentialing.
Topics: Abscess; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal; Appendicitis; Cellulitis; Clinical Competence; Colic; Female; Fractures, Bone; Hemorrhage; Humans; Intestinal Perforation; Intracranial Hypertension; Lung; Male; Pericardial Effusion; Point-of-Care Systems; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Retinal Detachment; Rotator Cuff Injuries; Soft Tissue Infections; Spermatic Cord Torsion; Stroke Volume; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 32109031
DOI: No ID Found -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jan 2015Early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia may have long-term advantages for the patient; the longer psychosis goes untreated the more severe the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia may have long-term advantages for the patient; the longer psychosis goes untreated the more severe the repercussions for relapse and recovery. If the correct diagnosis is not schizophrenia, but another psychotic disorder with some symptoms similar to schizophrenia, appropriate treatment might be delayed, with possible severe repercussions for the person involved and their family. There is widespread uncertainty about the diagnostic accuracy of First Rank Symptoms (FRS); we examined whether they are a useful diagnostic tool to differentiate schizophrenia from other psychotic disorders.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the diagnostic accuracy of one or multiple FRS for diagnosing schizophrenia, verified by clinical history and examination by a qualified professional (e.g. psychiatrists, nurses, social workers), with or without the use of operational criteria and checklists, in people thought to have non-organic psychotic symptoms.
SEARCH METHODS
We conducted searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycInfo using OvidSP in April, June, July 2011 and December 2012. We also searched MEDION in December 2013.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We selected studies that consecutively enrolled or randomly selected adults and adolescents with symptoms of psychosis, and assessed the diagnostic accuracy of FRS for schizophrenia compared to history and clinical examination performed by a qualified professional, which may or may not involve the use of symptom checklists or based on operational criteria such as ICD and DSM.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently screened all references for inclusion. Risk of bias in included studies were assessed using the QUADAS-2 instrument. We recorded the number of true positives (TP), true negatives (TN), false positives (FP), and false negatives (FN) for constructing a 2 x 2 table for each study or derived 2 x 2 data from reported summary statistics such as sensitivity, specificity, and/or likelihood ratios.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 21 studies with a total of 6253 participants (5515 were included in the analysis). Studies were conducted from 1974 to 2011, with 80% of the studies conducted in the 1970's, 1980's or 1990's. Most studies did not report study methods sufficiently and many had high applicability concerns. In 20 studies, FRS differentiated schizophrenia from all other diagnoses with a sensitivity of 57% (50.4% to 63.3%), and a specificity of 81.4% (74% to 87.1%) In seven studies, FRS differentiated schizophrenia from non-psychotic mental health disorders with a sensitivity of 61.8% (51.7% to 71%) and a specificity of 94.1% (88% to 97.2%). In sixteen studies, FRS differentiated schizophrenia from other types of psychosis with a sensitivity of 58% (50.3% to 65.3%) and a specificity of 74.7% (65.2% to 82.3%).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The synthesis of old studies of limited quality in this review indicates that FRS correctly identifies people with schizophrenia 75% to 95% of the time. The use of FRS to diagnose schizophrenia in triage will incorrectly diagnose around five to 19 people in every 100 who have FRS as having schizophrenia and specialists will not agree with this diagnosis. These people will still merit specialist assessment and help due to the severity of disturbance in their behaviour and mental state. Again, with a sensitivity of FRS of 60%, reliance on FRS to diagnose schizophrenia in triage will not correctly diagnose around 40% of people that specialists will consider to have schizophrenia. Some of these people may experience a delay in getting appropriate treatment. Others, whom specialists will consider to have schizophrenia, could be prematurely discharged from care, if triage relies on the presence of FRS to diagnose schizophrenia. Empathetic, considerate use of FRS as a diagnostic aid - with known limitations - should avoid a good proportion of these errors.We hope that newer tests - to be included in future Cochrane reviews - will show better results. However, symptoms of first rank can still be helpful where newer tests are not available - a situation which applies to the initial screening of most people with suspected schizophrenia. FRS remain a simple, quick and useful clinical indicator for an illness of enormous clinical variability.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Diagnosis, Differential; Early Diagnosis; Humans; Mental Disorders; Prospective Studies; Psychotic Disorders; Retrospective Studies; Schizophrenia; Sensitivity and Specificity; Symptom Assessment
PubMed: 25879096
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010653.pub2 -
Fertility and Sterility Jul 2022Endometriosis was classically diagnosed during diagnostic laparoscopies, which used to be routinely performed up until a decade ago or so. This practice fitted with the... (Review)
Review
Endometriosis was classically diagnosed during diagnostic laparoscopies, which used to be routinely performed up until a decade ago or so. This practice fitted with the long-held belief that surgery was the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis. Today, the abandon of routine diagnostic laparoscopies-in favor of assisted reproductive technology-first therapeutic approaches-has created a void for diagnosing endometriosis. Modern-day imaging techniques-ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging-when used with a systematic approach have offered a reliable replacement option for diagnosing endometriosis. In infertility, endometriosis should be identified or excluded on the basis of past history or confirmation or exclusion suspicion on the basis of history and/or physical examination.
Topics: Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Infertility; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 35568524
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.03.015 -
Cardiovascular Journal of AfricaCritical coarctation of the aorta in neonates is a common cause of shock and death. It may be the most difficult of all forms of critical congenital heart disease to... (Review)
Review
Critical coarctation of the aorta in neonates is a common cause of shock and death. It may be the most difficult of all forms of critical congenital heart disease to diagnose because the obstruction from the coarctation does not appear until several days after birth (and after discharge from the hospital), and because there are no characteristic murmurs. Some of these patients may be detected by neonatal screening by pulse oximetry, but only a minority is so diagnosed. Older patients are usually asymptomatic but, although clinical diagnosis is easy, they are frequently undiagnosed.
Topics: Age Factors; Angioplasty, Balloon; Aortic Coarctation; Cardiac Imaging Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular; Early Diagnosis; Hemodynamics; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Neonatal Screening; Oximetry; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Stents; Vascular Surgical Procedures
PubMed: 29293259
DOI: 10.5830/CVJA-2017-053 -
International Forum of Allergy &... Aug 2021Odontogenic sinusitis (ODS) is distinct from non-odontogenic rhinosinusitis, and often requires multidisciplinary collaboration between otolaryngologists and dental... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Odontogenic sinusitis (ODS) is distinct from non-odontogenic rhinosinusitis, and often requires multidisciplinary collaboration between otolaryngologists and dental providers to make the diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to develop international multidisciplinary consensus on diagnosing ODS.
METHODS
A modified Delphi method was used to assess for expert consensus on diagnosing bacterial ODS. A multidisciplinary panel of 17 authors with ODS expertise from 8 countries (8 otolaryngologists, 9 dental specialists) was assembled. Each author completed 2 of 3 surveys (2 specialty-specific, and 1 for all authors). Thirty-seven clinical statements were created, focusing on 4 important diagnostic components: suspecting ODS; confirming sinusitis in ODS; confirming different dental pathologies causing ODS; and multidisciplinary collaborative aspects of diagnosing ODS. Target audiences were all otolaryngologists and dental providers.
RESULTS
Of the 37 clinical statements, 36 reached consensus or strong consensus, and 1 reached no consensus. Strong consensus was reached that certain clinical and microbiologic features should arouse suspicion for ODS, and that multidisciplinary collaboration between otolaryngologists and dental providers is generally required to diagnose ODS. To diagnose ODS, otolaryngologists should confirm sinusitis mainly based on nasal endoscopic findings of middle meatal purulence, edema, or polyps, and dental providers should confirm dental pathology based on clinical examination and dental imaging.
CONCLUSION
Based on multidisciplinary international consensus, diagnosing ODS generally requires otolaryngologists to confirm sinusitis, and dental providers to confirm maxillary odontogenic pathology. Importantly, both dental providers and otolaryngologists should suspect ODS based on certain clinical features, and refer patients to appropriate providers for disease confirmation.
Topics: Consensus; Endoscopy; Humans; Maxillary Sinusitis; Otolaryngologists; Sinusitis
PubMed: 33583151
DOI: 10.1002/alr.22777 -
Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology Feb 2020To show how the evaluation for endometriosis can be included in the routine pelvic ultrasound examination.
STUDY OBJECTIVE
To show how the evaluation for endometriosis can be included in the routine pelvic ultrasound examination.
DESIGN
Stepwise narrated video demonstration of the sonographic evaluation for endometriosis in routine pelvic ultrasound following the recommended sonographic approach published in the 2016 consensus paper by the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) group [1].
SETTING
Endometriosis is a common and often debilitating gynecological disorder that affects 5-10% of women [2]. The prevalence is even higher among women with symptoms of endometriosis [2], which include chronic pelvic pain, acquired dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, menorrhagia, abnormal bleeding, and infertility. Approximately 80% of women who have endometriosis have superficial lesions, whereas 20% have deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE; [3]). Laparoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis, because it allows the diagnosis of all forms of endometriosis and often immediate removal of superficial endometriosis. The removal of DIE is considerably more complicated and usually cannot be completed unless it was diagnosed preoperatively. The technique to diagnose DIE with transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) was first described in detail in 2009 [4]. Since then, the accuracy of TVUS for the prediction of DIE has been well established in the literature [5-7]. TVUS is widely used as a first-line investigation for women with gynecological symptoms. The inclusion of an assessment for endometriosis in the routine pelvic ultrasound allows earlier diagnosis and better surgical outcomes for all women with DIE.
INTERVENTIONS
The evaluation for endometriosis in routine pelvic ultrasound based on the IDEA consensus promotes a 4-step dynamic ultrasound approach [1]: (1) routine evaluation of uterus and adnexa with particular attention for sonographic signs of adenomyosis and the presence or absence of endometriomas; (2) evaluation of transvaginal sonographic 'soft markers' such as site-specific tenderness and ovarian mobility; (3) assessment of status of pouch of Douglas using the real-time ultrasound-based "sliding sign;" and (4) assessment of DIE nodules in the anterior and posterior compartments, which involves assessment of the bladder, vaginal vault, uterosacral ligaments, and bowel, including rectum, rectosigmoid junction, and sigmoid colon. Because 5-10% of women with DIE also have ureteric endometriosis, it is useful to assess the kidneys. Silent hydronephrosis is easily identified in 50-60% of patients with ureteric involvement. Although it is possible to identify DIE involving the ureters more directly, this requires more advanced skills, and further studies are still needed to better define the accuracy of ureteric DIE detection by TVUS [8-10].
CONCLUSION
Traditionally, only pathologies of the uterus and ovaries are assessed during a routine pelvic ultrasound. Here we demonstrate that the routine ultrasound examination can easily be extended beyond the uterus and ovaries into the posterior and anterior pelvic compartments to evaluate structural mobility and to look for deep infiltrating endometriotic nodules, wherewith women suffering from DIE can benefit from a preoperative diagnosis and subsequently, a single, well-planned procedure in the hands of a well-prepared team.
Topics: Diagnostic Techniques, Obstetrical and Gynecological; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Pelvis; Peritoneal Diseases; Preoperative Care; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasonography; Vagina
PubMed: 31493569
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2019.08.027 -
Herz Aug 2020The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has recently published new guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic coronary syndromes (CCS). Due to variable... (Review)
Review
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has recently published new guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic coronary syndromes (CCS). Due to variable symptoms, objective tests are often necessary to confirm the diagnosis, exclude alternative diagnoses, and assess the severity of underlying disease. This review provides a summary of the main diagnostic strategies listed in the guidelines for evaluation of patients suspected of having obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Based on data from contemporary cohorts of patients referred for diagnostic testing, the pre-test probabilities of obstructive CAD based on age, sex, and symptoms have been adjusted substantially downward compared with the previous guidelines. Further, a new concept of "clinical likelihood of CAD" was introduced accounting for the impact of various risk factors and modifiers on the pre-test probability. Noninvasive functional imaging for myocardial ischemia, coronary computed tomography angiography, or invasive coronary angiography combined with functional evaluation is recommended as the initial strategy to diagnose CAD in symptomatic patients, unless obstructive CAD can be excluded by clinical assessment alone. When available, imaging tests are recommended as noninvasive modalities instead of exercise electrocardiograms.
Topics: Cardiology; Computed Tomography Angiography; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease; Humans; Syndrome
PubMed: 32430520
DOI: 10.1007/s00059-020-04935-x -
BMC Pulmonary Medicine Dec 2018Guidelines currently do not recommend the routine use of chest x-ray (CXR) in bronchiolitis. However, CXR is still performed in a high percentage of cases, mainly to... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Guidelines currently do not recommend the routine use of chest x-ray (CXR) in bronchiolitis. However, CXR is still performed in a high percentage of cases, mainly to diagnose or rule out pneumonia. The inappropriate use of CXR results in children exposure to ionizing radiations and increased medical costs. Lung Ultrasound (LUS) has become an emerging diagnostic tool for diagnosing pneumonia in the last decades. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of LUS for the detection of pneumonia in hospitalized children with bronchiolitis and to evaluate the agreement between LUS and CXR in diagnosing pneumonia in these patients.
METHODS
We enrolled children admitted to our hospital in 2016-2017 with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis and undergone CXR because of clinical suspicion of concomitant pneumonia. LUS was performed in each child by a pediatrician blinded to the patient's clinical, laboratory and CXR findings. An exploratory analysis was done in the first 30 patients to evaluate the inter-observer agreement between a pediatrician and a radiologist who independently performed LUS. The diagnosis of pneumonia was established by an expert clinician based on the recommendations of the British Thoracic Society guidelines.
RESULTS
Eighty seven children with bronchiolitis were investigated. A final diagnosis of concomitant pneumonia was made in 25 patients. Sensitivity and specificity of LUS for the diagnosis of pneumonia were 100% and 83.9% respectively, with an area under-the-curve of 0.92, while CXR showed a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 87.1%. When only consolidation > 1 cm was considered consistent with pneumonia, the specificity of LUS increased to 98.4% and the sensitivity decreased to 80.0%, with an area under-the-curve of 0.89. Cohen's kappa between pediatrician and radiologist sonologists in the first 30 patients showed an almost perfect agreement in diagnosing pneumonia by LUS (K 0.93).
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the good accuracy of LUS in diagnosing pneumonia in children with clinical bronchiolitis. When including only consolidation size > 1 cm, specificity of LUS was higher than CXR, avoiding the need to perform CXR in these patients. Added benefit of LUS included high inter-observer agreement.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Identifier: NCT03280732 . Registered 12 September 2017 (retrospectively registered).
Topics: Bronchiolitis; Diagnosis, Differential; Dimensional Measurement Accuracy; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Italy; Lung; Male; Pneumonia; Prospective Studies; Radiation Exposure; Radiography, Thoracic; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 30526548
DOI: 10.1186/s12890-018-0750-1