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Diagnostic Methods Used (diagnostic + methods_used)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Comparing Dementia Diagnostic Methods Used with People with Intellectual Disabilities

JOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 2 2005
Diana B. Burt
Abstract, Accurate detection of dementia in adults with intellectual disabilities is important for clinical care, program planning, and clinical research. This paper reports on a study that examined two major diagnostic methods that varied in the following ways: (1) the extent to which they relied on clinical judgment; (2) the statistical method used to detect declines; and (3) the sensitivity to declines in functioning. Two methods based on testing were compared with one based on clinical judgment. Data were drawn from annual sequential assessments of 168 adults with intellectual disabilities (78 with Down syndrome and 90 with other etiologies). Agreement between testing and clinical judgment methods was 72,75% depending on testing method used. Clinical judgment produced a higher rate of dementia diagnosis for adults with Down syndrome compared with testing methods, suggesting a possible bias. The authors found that diagnostic criteria were useful both for identifying dementia and for describing its characteristics. Our results suggest that clinical judgment could result in a higher number of adults with Down syndrome diagnosed with dementia than methods based on test batteries. Common results across research studies indicate that combinations of sources of information (interviews/direct testing) would be most useful for dementia diagnosis. Future collaboration across research sites is needed to promote rapid progress in this important area, with emphasis on differential diagnosis. [source]

Helicobacter pyloriinfection and gastric outlet obstruction , prevalence of the infection and role of antimicrobial treatment

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2002
J. P. Gisbert
Summary The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease complicated by gastric outlet obstruction seems to be, overall, lower than that reported in non-complicated ulcer disease, with a mean value of 69%. However, H. pylori infection rates in various studies range from 33% to 91%, suggesting that differences in variables, such as the number and type of diagnostic methods used or the frequency of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake, may be responsible for the low prevalence reported in some studies. The resolution of gastric outlet obstruction after the eradication of H. pylori has been demonstrated by several studies. It seems that the beneficial effect of H. pylori eradication on gastric outlet obstruction is observed early, just a few weeks after the administration of antimicrobial treatment. Furthermore, this favourable effect seems to remain during long-term follow-up. Nevertheless, gastric outlet obstruction does not always resolve after H. pylori eradication treatment and an explanation for the failures is not completely clear, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake perhaps playing a major role in these cases. Treatment should start pharmacologically with the eradication of H. pylori even when stenosis is considered to be fibrotic, or when there is some gastric stasis. In summary, H. pylori eradication therapy should be considered as the first step in the treatment of duodenal or pyloric H. pylori -positive stenosis, whereas dilation or surgery should be reserved for patients who do not respond to such medical therapy. [source]

Rapid identification of Helicobacter pylori by capillary electrophoresis: an overview

BIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2007
B. Buszewski
Abstract Helicobacter pylori can cause gastritis and peptic ulcers and is directly associated with the development of gastric cancer. There are many types of diagnostic methods used to identification H. pylori (invasive and non-invasive), but these methods usually require time-consuming and laborious procedures and therefore are not capable of fast diagnosis in cases of emergency. This contribution describes the new achievements, interdisciplinary significance and some future directions in the application of capillary electrophoresis for determination of H. pylori. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Is quantitative PCR for the pneumolysin (ply) gene useful for detection of pneumococcal lower respiratory tract infection?

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 6 2009
G. Abdeldaim
Abstract The pneumolysin (ply) gene is widely used as a target in PCR assays for Streptococcus pneumoniae in respiratory secretions. However, false-positive results with conventional ply -based PCR have been reported. The aim here was to study the performance of a quantitative ply -based PCR for the identification of pneumococcal lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). In a prospective study, fibreoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 156 hospitalized adult patients with LRTI and 31 controls who underwent bronchoscopy because of suspicion of malignancy. Among the LRTI patients and controls, the quantitative ply -based PCR applied to bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was positive at ,103 genome copies/mL in 61% and 71% of the subjects, at ,105 genome copies/mL in 40% and 58% of the subjects, and at ,107 genome copies/mL in 15% and 3.2% of the subjects, respectively. Using BAL fluid culture, blood culture, and/or a urinary antigen test, S. pneumoniae was identified in 19 LRTI patients. As compared with these diagnostic methods used in combination, quantitative ply -based PCR showed sensitivities and specificities of 89% and 43% at a cut-off of 103 genome copies/mL, of 84% and 66% at a cut-off of 105 genome copies/mL, and of 53% and 90% at a cut-off of 107 genome copies/mL, respectively. In conclusion, a high cut-off with the quantitative ply -based PCR was required to reach acceptable specificity. However, as a high cut-off resulted in low sensitivity, quantitative ply -based PCR does not appear to be clinically useful. Quantitative PCR methods for S. pneumoniae using alternative gene targets should be evaluated. [source]