[Analysis of the efficiency of the laboratory test in emergency care]

Freire L., Barrenechea E., Echeverria E., Fernández A., Fernández G., Fernández B., Gastaminza A.M., Huarte I., Lizaso MªJ., Lopetegui P., Mirabel JL., Oscariz L., Redondo MªJ.
Record ID 31999009158
Spanish
Original Title: Análisis de la eficiencia de la utilización de pruebas de laboratorio en los Servicios de Urgencias Hospitalarias
Authors' objectives: 1.- To determine the most frequent etiology of abdominal pain in our environment. 2.- Evaluate the use of the most-widely employed analytical parameters by the staff of the HES with regard to the abdominal pain clinical entity and the diagnostic suspicions this involves. 3. Cost analysis .
Authors' results and conclusions: Those protocols that did not comply with the conditions set for the survey or had been completed incorrectly or incompletely were excluded. The average age of the patients: 46 ± 21 years (range 14-99), of those 30% were of over 60 years of age. 57.6% were women and 42.4% men. Clinical suspicion was: gastropathy 15.5%, Pancreatitis 4.4%, Cholecystitis 2.1%, Cholelithiasis 9%, Urine Infections 6.4%, Gastro-enteritis 13.2%, Diverticulitis 3.4%, Nephritic colic 9.2%, Mesenteryischemia 1% and Non-specific Abdominal pain 26.9%. 24.4% of the patients required admission for further examination. Abdominal Pain represents between 3.4 and 4% of all the consultations dealt with by the SUH during the survey. 8.2% of the patients had fever >37.5C. 30.6% had leukocytosis and leukocituria appeared in 28%.
Authors' recommendations: The prevalence of abdominal pain was 3.7%. The most frequent etiology was 'non-specific abdominal pain'. The carrying out of systematic analytical profiles of all the patients with abdominal pain in daily clinical practice does not appear to be justified in the light of the results obtained.
Authors' methods: A three month transversal, multi-centre survey including patients whose reason for consulting the HES of three hospitals located in towns in the Basque Country, was Abdominal Pain. Inclusion criteria: patients of > 14 years of age. Exclusion criteria: abdominal pain of post traumatic origin, pregnancy, diabetic ketoacidosis, dysmenorrheas and acute abdominal pains with a priori surgical indication. Size and Selection of the Sample: considering a p=q=0.5, signification level of 0.05 and an error of ± 3%, depending on the volume of emergencies observed, a sample size was calculated of 670 cases: 57% Txagorritxu Hospital, 28% Gipuzkoa Hospital and San Eloy Hospital: 15%. Survey protocol: A research protocol was designed including anamnesis, exploration and analytical tests common to all the centres.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 1999
URL for published report: https://www.euskadi.eus/contenidos/informacion/1999_osteba_publicacion/es_def/adjuntos/1999/d_99_06_pruebas_laboratorio_urgencias.pdf
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: Spain
MeSH Terms
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures
Keywords
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Hospital Emergency Service
Contact
Organisation Name: Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment
Contact Address: C/ Donostia – San Sebastián, 1 (Edificio Lakua II, 4ª planta) 01010 Vitoria - Gasteiz
Contact Name: Lorea Galnares-Cordero
Contact Email: lgalnares@bioef.eus
Copyright: <p>Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, Health Department Basque Government (OSTEBA)</p>
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