Linked Life Data

19471276

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/19471276

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-6-10
pubmed:abstractText
The aim of the study was to achieve earlier diagnosis of malignant cord compression (MCC) using urgent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for selected patients. A comparison was carried out of the current prospective audit of 100 patients referred by a general practitioner or a consultant over 32 months with both a previous national Clinical Research and Audit Group (CRAG) prospective audit (324 cases of MCC) and an earlier retrospective audit of 104 patients referred with suspected MCC. A telephone hotline rapid-referral process for patients with known malignancy and new symptoms (severe nerve root pain +/- severe back pain) was designed. Patients were considered for urgent MRI after discussion with a senior clinician responsible for the hotline. Appropriate referrals were discussed with radiology and oncology ensuring timely MRI reporting and intervention. The main outcome measures are as follows: time from referral to diagnosis; time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis; and mobility at diagnosis. A total of 50 patients (52%) of those scanned had either MCC (44) or malignant nerve root compression (6) compared with the earlier rate of 23 out of 104 patients (22%). Ten out of 44 MCC patients (23%) were paralysed at diagnosis, compared with 149 out of 324 (46%) in the CRAG audit. Time from reporting pain to diagnosis was 32 days compared with 89 days in the CRAG audit. Median time from referral to diagnosis was 1 day, again considerably shorter than the CRAG audit time of 15 days (interquartile (IQ) range: 3-66). In patients at risk of MCC, fast-track referral with rapid access to MRI reduces time between symptom onset and diagnosis, improves mobility at diagnosis and reduces the number of negative MRI scans.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-10725627, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-10799792, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-11121640, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-12512970, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-12690645, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-15738534, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-18036691, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-18314436, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-2264169, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-8204366, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/19471276-8942122
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
1532-1827
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
16
pubmed:volume
100
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1867-72
pubmed:dateRevised
2010-9-27
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Suspected malignant cord compression - improving time to diagnosis via a 'hotline': a prospective audit.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Palliative Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Case Reports, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't