Search PubMedSearch

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “diagnostic algorithm”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[Methods of assessing the state of the digestive system in mass examinations of rural population].

On the basis of physician's logic a questionnaire has been elaborated for identifying the most common diseases of digestive system during mass medical check-ups of rural population. 98 combinations of signs were considered in the diagnostic algorithm for making conclusions regarding 11 diseases. The programme elaborated envisages recommendations on the volume of examinations necessary for verification of diagnoses. The questionnaire and rules governing it were verified for 152 patients. By means of mathematical statistics methods the informativeness of the signs used have been assessed. The analysis showed a great diagnostic value of choosing signs on the basis of physician's logic taking into account their pathogenetic correlation. The efficiency of questionnaires have been demonstrated and sufficient under conditions of automated examinations sensitivity (on the average for diseases 78.1%) and specificity (on the average for diseases 70.0%).

Algorithms

The epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases in the United States. Results from a national survey.

During the 2-yr period 1981-83, demographic, clinical, and laboratory information was collected for 5,469 patients from whom nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) had been isolated. Among the potential NTM pathogens, isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex were most frequent, followed by M. kansasii, M. fortuitum, M. scrofulaceum, and M. chelonae. Almost 90% of the isolates were obtained from respiratory specimens. Prevalence rates for NTM disease, as calculated by a diagnostic algorithm, were highest for M. avium complex (1.3/10(5)), M. fortuitum-M. chelonae (0.2/10(5)). The data suggest a changing epidemiologic picture of NTM disease due perhaps to the decreasing incidence of tuberculosis, the increasing prevalence of chronic lung disease, and increased culturing of diagnostic specimens, as well as possibly a change in the ecology of these organisms.

Adolescent

[A program of prevention of dysplastic arthrosis (general principles)].

The authors put forward a program of prevention of dysplastic arthrosis which is presented in graphic form with textual description. It has been worked out on the basis of the formerly elaborated conceptual model "Dysplasia of the joint-dysplastic arthrosis" and it is a complex of general medical prophylactic measures oriented towards the elimination of mutagenous environmental factors, i.e. towards prevention of morbidity and towards the treatment-and-rehabilitation orthopaedic measures directed at reduction of the risk of development of dysplastic arthrosis in the conditions of dysplastic lesion of the joint (prevention of the disease). The conditions necessary for carrying out this program are supposed to be: a diagnostic algorithm providing for revealing dysplastic lesions already at the preclinical stage; thorough quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the dysplastic process providing for planning of correct surgical interventions; prognostic evaluations presuming a probability of evolution of the dysplastic process and its outcome; and a system of stage-by-stage diagnostic and treatment-and-rehabilitation measures providing for achievement of the effect expected in each particular case. Three groups of surgical interventions have been pointed out: prophylactic, which are performed on the dysplastic joint in case of absence of dystrophic changes; therapeutic, which are performed in case of presence of reversible dystrophic changes (e.g. chondromalation at stages I and II); and palliative, which only result in temporary stabilization of the arthrosis process, i.e. leading to improvement.

Adolescent

[Filling defects in the upper urinary tract: update on the etiologic diagnosis and review of the specific value of urinary cytology].

We present 3 cases with upper tract filling defect and exfoliative cytology positive for malignant cells in 2 of these cases (micturition and via ureteral catheter, respectively). The initial suspicion of urinary tract tumor was discarded by subsequent work up in 2 patients who were managed conservatively and followed closely. The third patient was submitted to nephroureterectomy. The histopathological examination disclosed chronic pyelonephritis and a deposit of amorphous mucoid material but no evidence of tumor. We review the etiologies of upper tract filling defects and present a useful diagnostic algorithm for the study of these conditions and the etiopathogenic and physiopathologic evaluation of the false positives in urinary cytology.

Adult

Pitfalls in diagnosis of aortic dissection by angiography: algorithmic approach utilizing CT and MRI.

Dissection of the thoracic aorta is a life-threatening event requiring imaging studies to define the level of the tear and the intimal flap. The "gold standard" has been angiography. This method may fail to demonstrate the dissection, however, due to overlap of the true and false lumens or a very thin flap that is imaged en face rather than tangentially. Computed tomography has a diagnostic accuracy of 95%, but can fail to image the dissection due to technical factors or a thrombosed false lumen. Magnetic resonance imaging requires a hemodynamically stable and cooperative patient. A diagnostic algorithm is proposed for diagnosis of aortic dissection based on renal function and the surgeon's imaging modality preference.

Aged

Diagnostic procedures for catheter malfunction in programmable implantable intraperitoneal insulin infusion devices.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the roles of 1) abdominal radiography, 2) a pressure diagnostic procedure (PDP) using a standardized diluent infusion into the catheter sideport, and 3) radiocontrast imaging of the catheter lumen as procedures for diagnosing catheter malfunction in diabetic patients implanted with a programmable intraperitoneal infusion device. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixteen type I diabetic patients implanted with Infusaid programmable intraperitoneal insulin pumps were studied. The ability of the above three procedures to assist diagnosis of catheter malfunction and distinguish between occlusion and catheter breakage was retrospectively analyzed. Glycated hemoglobin was measured to determine the clinical importance of catheter malfunctions and decreases in pump flow due to insulin aggregation in the pump chamber. RESULTS: Mean glycated hemoglobin levels increased significantly from 8.0 +/- 0.3 to 9.0 +/- 0.4% (P < 0.05) before and after catheter malfunction, but not during pump flow slowdowns. Mean peak pressure during PDP was 1.96 +/- 0.14 psi (P < 0.01 vs. normal) in reversibly occluded catheters and 1.86 +/- 0.35 psi (P < 0.05 vs. normal) in broken catheters, compared with 1.32 +/- 0.23 psi in normal catheters. Decay times during PDP were > 50 s for both reversibly occluded and broken catheters (P < 0.001 vs. normal of 3.6 +/- 0.82 s). Abdominal radiographs and sideport injections of contrast material were used to distinguish the types of broken catheters. CONCLUSIONS: Catheter breakage and occlusion are complications in implantable insulin infusion systems and result in metabolic deterioration. The presence of a sideport allows pressure data and radiographic procedures to assist in determining the cause of catheter malfunction. A diagnostic algorithm was generated to improve efficiency in investigating catheter problems.

Adult

[A method for the early detection and treatment of patients with iron deficiency states].

In order to optimize the identification of persons with iron deficiency during mass prophylactic screenings, a diagnostic algorithm using a unified questionnaire was proposed and introduced into medical practice. During 1985-1987, a total of 3655 women aged 18 to 54 years belonging to different occupational groups filled in questionnaires at an industrial enterprise of Novosibirsk. The women were distributed into several groups: group I was made up of normal persons, group II of persons at risk, group III of persons with latent iron deficiency, group IV of persons with iron deficiency anemia, and group V of patients with continuously relapsing iron deficiency anemia refractory to therapy. Taking into account the groups indicated, the diagnostic and the treatment and prophylactic measures have been elaborated.

Adolescent

[The comprehensive diagnosis of lesions of the intrathoracic lymph nodes].

The paper deals with results of complex diagnosis of intrathoracic lymph node involvement in 194 patients with malignant lymphoma (85 cases), cancer (11), sarcoidosis (95) or lymphadenitis (3 cases). All the patients underwent complex roentgenologic and radionuclide examination. Tumor tissue sampling aimed at morphologic verification was carried out by transthoracic puncture, mediastinoscopy, parasternal mediastinotomy or diagnostic thoracotomy. The following diagnostic algorithm was suggested: in patients with involvement of the anterior mediastinum, diagnosis should start with transthoracic puncture (efficacy--71%) which should be followed, if it fails, by parasternal mediastinotomy (100%). Mediastinoscopy proved the best procedure for diagnosing central mediastinal lymph node involvement (efficacy--96%). Patients with lymphadenopathy in the anterior central mediastinum should undergo mediastinoscopy (efficacy--67%) or parasternal mediastinotomy (90%). Diagnostic thoracotomy was performed in 7 (3.6%) patients in whom the other methods had failed.

Adolescent

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing for tuberculosis diagnosis: enhanced performance and cost-effectiveness.

UNLABELLED: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a promising tool for diagnosing challenging infections like tuberculosis (TB). However, previous studies largely focused on case-specific application of mNGS in TB diagnosis. Thus, we conducted a retrospective observational study to first systematically evaluate the diagnostic performance and cost-effectiveness of mNGS for TB diagnosis. We retrieved a total of 16,776 results of the seven TB diagnostic assays, including mNGS, tuberculosis IgG antibody, TB interferon-&#x3b3; release assay (TB-IGRA), TB-DNA, Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert), culture, and acid-fast bacilli staining (AFS) from 3,757 participants with suspected TB infection at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from September 2021 to July 2024. Diagnostic metrics were compared against a composite reference standard. Microbial composition and a cost-utility analysis were performed. Among seven TB assays studied, the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended assays AFS, culture, and Xpert, as well as TB-IGRA, were requested most frequently for TB diagnosis, whereas mNGS ranked last. mNGS demonstrated the highest specificity (100%), accuracy (72.3%), and area under the curve (AUC) (0.795). Its sensitivity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and tissue was 71.0% and 72.7%, respectively. Sequential use of mNGS after initial WHO-recommended tests (Xpert/Culture/AFS) significantly improved diagnostic performance (sensitivity, 70.4%; AUC, 0.823). Microbial analysis associated Candida albicans with TB. Cost-utility analysis showed sequential mNGS became cost-effective at higher willingness-to-pay thresholds (>200,000 RMB per correct diagnosis). mNGS offers superior specificity for TB diagnosis. A sequential strategy applying mNGS to conventional-test-negative cases provides enhanced diagnostic performance and is cost-effective at higher healthcare investment values, supporting its utility for diagnostically challenging TB. IMPORTANCE: This study systematically assesses the diagnostic performance and cost utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for tuberculosis (TB) in a large real-world cohort of 3,757 suspected patients, comparing it against six conventional assays (tuberculosis IgG antibody, TB interferon-&#x3b3; release assay, TB-DNA, Xpert, culture, and acid-fast bacilli staining). mNGS demonstrated the highest specificity (100%), accuracy (72.3%), and area under the curve (AUC) (0.795), with sensitivities of 71.0% in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and 72.7% in tissue. Notably, sequential use of mNGS after the World Health Organization-recommended tests significantly improved sensitivity to 70.4% and AUC to 0.823. Candida albicans showed significant differences among the three groups. The sequential mNGS strategy was cost-effective compared with no mNGS, and its cost-effectiveness increased with a rising willingness-to-pay threshold. Overall, these results highlight mNGS as a valuable supplementary tool for challenging TB cases, especially when conventional tests are inconclusive, and provide strong evidence for integrating it into diagnostic algorithms to optimize clinical decision-making and resource allocation.

Adult

Cost-Effectiveness and the Economics of Genomic Testing and Molecularly Matched Therapies.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of precision oncology can help guide value-driven care. Next-generation sequencing is increasingly cost-efficient over single gene testing because diagnostic algorithms require multiple individual gene tests to determine biomarker status. Matched targeted therapy is often not cost-effective due to the high cost associated with drug treatment. However, genomic profiling can promote cost-effective care by identifying patients who are unlikely to benefit from therapy. Additional applications of genomic profiling such as universal testing for hereditary cancer syndromes and germline testing in patients with cancer may represent cost-effective approaches compared with traditional history-based diagnostic methods.

Humans

Deep venous valve reconstruction.

The place of deep venous valve reconstruction in the surgical management of the patient with chronic venous insufficiency has become clearer with collected experience over the past 25 years. The reasons to perform surgery in chronic venous disease and the specific rationale for deep venous repair are contrasted with the management of the same patient by medical means. A new classification of chronic venous disease has been developed and provides the basis for a more objective understanding of specific entities in the entire field of chronic venous symptoms. The requirements for diagnosis before reconstructive surgery are stringent and a diagnostic algorithm is discussed in the selection of candidates for deep venous reconstruction. The multiple surgical techniques for deep venous reconstruction include internal intravenous direct valve repair and extravenous tightening of the vein wall around the valve cusp. The results of valve repair for primary valve incompetence are discussed in terms of long-term clinical results, long-term imaging results and long-term physiologic results as reflected by venous pressure examinations. It is becoming increasingly clear with the passage of time and the sharpening of our diagnostic skills that reflux is the dominant cause of chronic venous insufficiency. The ability of surgical procedures to decrease reflux in a diseased extremity can be used to restore patients to their normal way of life free of pain, swelling and ulceration and, in the ideal case, free of the need for elastic support.

Chronic Disease

Clinical evaluation of hepatic lesions: guidelines for diagnostic protocols and injury severity scores.

The standardisation of diagnostic procedures according to an adequate sequence is a mandatory in determining the therapeutic strategy in liver traumas. In a series of 26 consecutive cases of trauma of the liver, 3 of them penetrating, we adopted a diagnostic algorithm based on the extensive use of sonography and "Injury Severity Scores" in addition to the standard clinical procedures. The treatment of the lesions was surgical in 21 cases (81%) and conservative in 5 (19%); post operative mortality was 14% and overall mortality 11.5%. None of the cases treated by conservative approach had to be submitted to surgery during the follow-up period. Sonography, carried out by surgical staff within 30' from observation and at definitive intervals, allowed a correct surgical approach in all cases; a similar sensitivity was obtained by sonography also in the cases treated conservatively and submitted to C.T. evaluation. The absolute correlation between Revised Trauma Score, Injury Severity Scale, classes of severity of the lesions and subsequent surgical survey suggest that this scoring system could be adopted in the first triage of traumatic lesions of the liver. Sonography could be preferred to diagnostic peritoneal lavage in the screening of cases with circulatory instability; furthermore, it could be a valid alternative to C.T. in hemodynamically stable patients.

Adolescent

Computer-aided alcoholism diagnosis in obstetric-gynecologic medical settings.

A computer-aided Alcoholism Diagnostic ALGOrithm (ADALGO) based on the NCA criteria for the diagnosis of alcoholism is applied in 233 obstetric and gynecologic patients. Alcoholism symptoms in the patients were intensively investigated by means of a 10-page, self-administered questionnaire, a 45-minute interview, and a medical record review. Alcoholism diagnoses based on the resulting set of 43 NCA symptoms are compared with ADALGO diagnoses utilizing an average of 26 symptoms. Agreement was achieved in 95.7% of the cases for dichotomous, alcoholic-nonalcoholic diagnoses and in 91% of the cases using a five-category alcoholism diagnostic schema. The feasibility of routinely screening for and diagnosing alcohol-related problems in ambulatory care settings using ADALGO and the NCA criteria is discussed.

Alcoholism

Case finding, data quality aspects and comparability of myocardial infarction registers: results of a south German register study.

The population-based Augsburg Coronary Event Register (330,000 residents, age 25-74 years) has registered a total of 1012 cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 1985 and 1021 AMI in 1986 and categorized them on the basis of the current WHO diagnostic algorithm for AMI. The register is designed for longitudinal comparisons of annual AMI risk (incidence, attack rate, death rate), and the risk to the AMI patients themselves (28-day case fatality). The methodology and specific issues encountered during registration and data evaluation are described. With an estimated 95% completeness of case finding, the quality control data review which the register conducts annually shows a consistency of specific data structures which indicate stable case finding and validation procedures. However, local conditions which affect case finding and data completeness per case are responsible for the creation of subsets of AMI which are in turn distinguished by differences in diagnostic category structures. With regard to the study objectives, the differences among subsets appear to have the least effect on rate calculations if DEFINITE and POSSIBLE AMI are combined. The implications of methodological variations and subset differences within and across registers on annual rate calculations and result comparisons are discussed.

Adult

A one-layer model of laser-induced fluorescence for diagnosis of disease in human tissue: applications to atherosclerosis.

This paper describes a general model of tissue fluorescence which can be used both to: 1) determine chemical and physical properties of the tissue, and 2) design an optimal algorithm for clinical diagnosis of tissue composition. This model is based on a picture of tissue as a single, optically thick layer, in which fluorophores and absorbing species are homogeneously distributed. As a specific example, the model is applied to the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) of normal and atherosclerotic human aorta using 476 nm excitation. Methods for determining the relevant attenuation and fluorescence lineshapes are detailed, and these lineshapes are used to apply the model to data from 148 samples. The model parameters are related to the concentrations of the major arterial chromophores: structural proteins, hemoglobin and ceroid. In addition, the model parameters are used to derive diagnostic algorithms for the presence of atherosclerosis. Utilizing a binary classification scheme, the presence or absence of pathology was determined correctly in 88 percent of cases.

Algorithms

Genomic insights into low-level rifampicin resistance mediated by borderline rpoB mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: prevalence and phylogeny in Northeast China.

The emergence of low-level rifampicin (RIF) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis poses a challenge to tuberculosis (TB) control, as it often leads to discordance between genotypic resistance detected by molecular assays (e.g., Xpert MTB/RIF) and phenotypic susceptibility in conventional drug susceptibility testing (DST). In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on 17 clinical isolates from Changchun, Northeast China, which exhibited such discordance. All isolates harbored functional borderline mutations in the rpoB RRDR region, predominantly Leu452Pro and Leu430Pro (29% each), followed by His445Asn (18%). RIF minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged from &#x2264;0.25 to 1.0 mg/L, confirming low-level resistance. Notably, 53% (9/17) of the isolates were co-resistant to fluoroquinolones and 24% (4/17) to isoniazid (INH). According to WHO classification, 59% (10/17) were pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (Pre-XDR-TB) or multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 94% (16/17) belonged to the East Asian Beijing lineage (Lineage 2.2.1), with no evidence of recent local transmission. These findings underscore the complexity of low-level RIF resistance and its frequent association with broader drug resistance in a dominant lineage, highlighting the need for integrating MIC and WGS into diagnostic algorithms to guide appropriate treatment and surveillance.IMPORTANCEThe accurate detection of RIF resistance is critical for the management of TB, yet standard phenotypic methods often fail to identify strains with low-level resistance conferred by borderline rpoB mutations. This study provides the first genomic characterization of such discordant isolates in Northeast China, revealing a high prevalence of co-resistance to other key drugs and a strong association with the locally dominant Beijing lineage. The findings emphasize that reliance on phenotypic DST alone may lead to underestimation of drug resistance and inappropriate treatment, potentially contributing to the emergence and spread of Pre-XDR-TB and MDR-TB. Incorporating MIC determination and WGS into routine diagnostics could enhance detection, inform tailored therapy, and improve surveillance of these clinically significant strains.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Respiratory-onset peripartum cardiomyopathy: a systematic review of diagnostic pitfalls and clinical outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) may initially present with prominent respiratory symptoms that resemble primary pulmonary disease, particularly in late pregnancy and the early postpartum period. In clinical practice, this presentation often triggers alternative diagnostic pathways, introducing delay at a time when rapid cardiac assessment is critical. Although respiratory-dominant presentations are repeatedly described across case-based and observational reports, they have not been systematically examined as a distinct diagnostic pathway within the PPCM literature. CONTENT: This PRISMA-guided systematic review synthesized evidence relating to respiratory-onset presentations of PPCM. Major databases and registers were searched comprehensively. Following screening of 589 records and full-text assessment of 145 reports, 49 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty studies were qualitatively prioritized for narrative synthesis using ROBIS-informed methodological appraisal. Evidence was examined across diagnostic misclassification patterns, cardiopulmonary mechanisms, differential diagnoses, investigative strategies, and acute and longitudinal management considerations. SUMMARY: Respiratory-led presentations were commonly misattributed to asthma, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, or perioperative causes, with diagnostic delay frequently reported. Across heterogeneous study designs, cardiogenic pulmonary edema with left-ventricular systolic dysfunction emerged as a recurring unifying mechanism. Early use of echocardiography, natriuretic peptides, and targeted imaging consistently aided differentiation from primary respiratory pathology. Severe clinical deterioration was often described in the context of delayed recognition. OUTLOOK: Respiratory-onset PPCM represents a high-risk diagnostic pathway rather than a discrete disease entity. Prospective registries, standardized diagnostic algorithms, and closer integration of obstetric and cardiopulmonary care are needed to refine early recognition and improve maternal outcomes.

Humans

The design of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area surveys. The control and measurement of error.

Several methods are used to minimize and measure error in the NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area program. Sampling methods involve the inclusion of group quarters such as prisons, nursing homes, and mental hospitals in the sample frame and the use of probability sampling throughout. Interviewing, methods include use of identical diagnostic interview protocols, centralized training of interview supervisors, standard instructions to interviewers, and reinterview of a subsample by clinicians. In the area of completion, the methods include a 75% to 80% respondent completion rate, a 95% or greater completion rate for individual questions, use of informant interviews where necessary, and statistical adjustments to correct for low completion rates in some subgroups. Analytic methods include use of a computerized diagnostic algorithm, common estimation formulas on identically formatted data files, and estimation of exact variances that take account of the multistage sample design.

Catchment Area, Health