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Routine use of chest x-ray for low-risk patients undergoing a periodic health examination: a retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Many evidence-based recommendations advocate against the use of routine chest x-rays for asymptomatic, low-risk outpatients; however, it is unclear how regularly chest x-rays are ordered in primary care. Our study aims to describe the frequency of, and variation in, routine chest x-ray use in low-risk outpatients among primary care physicians. METHODS:In this retrospective cohort study, Ontario residents aged 18 years and older with a periodic health examination (PHE) between Apr. 1, 2010, and Mar. 31, 2015, were identified via administrative claims data. Patients with a recent history (last 3 years) of any of the following were excluded: cardiac or pulmonary disease, high-risk comorbidity (e.g., diabetes), consultations/visits or procedures involving cardiac or pulmonary specialists, cancer and severe chest trauma. The primary outcome, a routine chest x-ray, was defined as at least 1 chest x-ray claim within 7 days after a PHE. RESULTS:While a routine chest x-ray followed only 2.42% of 2 847 508 PHEs, one-quarter of family physicians (499/2031) ordered chest x-rays for more than 5.0% of their PHEs (interquartile range 1.5%-5.0%) and accounted for 62.9% of all tests observed. Routine chest x-ray use declined by 2.0% per quarter (adjusted rate ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-0.98). Older age (45-64 yr v. 18-44 yr, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.82, 95% CI 1.78-1.86; ? 65 yr v. 18-44 yr, adjusted OR 2.48, 95% CI 2.39-2.58) and male sex of the patient (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.14-2.24) and male sex of the provider (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.51-1.59) were significantly associated with increased odds of a routine chest x-ray being ordered. INTERPRETATION:It is relatively uncommon for a chest x-ray to be ordered as part of a PHE in Ontario; however, the substantial variation observed among physicians suggests potential for interventions targeted at the most frequent users.

SUBMITTER: Bouck Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6182124 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul-Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Routine use of chest x-ray for low-risk patients undergoing a periodic health examination: a retrospective cohort study.

Bouck Zachary Z Mecredy Graham G Ivers Noah M NM Pendrith Ciara C Fine Ben B Martin Danielle D Glazier Richard H RH Tepper Joshua J Levinson Wendy W Bhatia R Sacha RS

CMAJ open 20180701 3

<h4>Background</h4>Many evidence-based recommendations advocate against the use of routine chest x-rays for asymptomatic, low-risk outpatients; however, it is unclear how regularly chest x-rays are ordered in primary care. Our study aims to describe the frequency of, and variation in, routine chest x-ray use in low-risk outpatients among primary care physicians.<h4>Methods</h4>In this retrospective cohort study, Ontario residents aged 18 years and older with a periodic health examination (PHE) b ...[more]

PMID: 30104416

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Project description:BackgroundThe utility of pulmonary artery catheters (PACs) and their measurements depend on a variety of factors including data interpretation and personnel training. This US multi-center, retrospective electronic health record (EHR) database analysis was performed to identify associations between PAC use in adult cardiac surgeries and effects on subsequent clinical outcomes.MethodsThis cohort analysis utilized the Cerner Health Facts database to examine patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), isolated valve surgery, aortic surgery, other complex non-valvular and multi-cardiac procedures, and/or heart transplant from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2015. A total of 6844 adults in two cohorts, each with 3422 patients who underwent a qualifying cardiac procedure with or without the use of a PAC for monitoring purposes, were included. Patients were matched 1:1 using a propensity score based upon the date and type of surgery, hospital demographics, modified European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE II), and patient characteristics. Primary outcomes of 30-day in-hospital mortality, length of stay, cardiopulmonary morbidity, and infectious morbidity were analyzed after risk adjustment for acute physiology score.ResultsThere was no difference in the 30-day in-hospital mortality rate between treatment groups (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.65-2.10; p = 0.516). PAC use was associated with a decreased length of stay (9.39 days without a PAC vs. 8.56 days with PAC; p < 0.001), a decreased cardiopulmonary morbidity (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.96; p < 0.001), and an increased infectious morbidity (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.10-1.49; p < 0.001).ConclusionsUse of a PAC during adult cardiac surgery is associated with decreased length of stay, reduced cardiopulmonary morbidity, and increased infectious morbidity but no increase in the 30-day in-hospital mortality. This suggests an overall potential benefit associated with PAC-based monitoring in this population.Trial registrationThe study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02964026) on November 15, 2016.

Project description:ImportanceClinical guidelines advise against routine electrocardiograms (ECG) in low-risk, asymptomatic patients, but the frequency and impact of such ECGs are unknown.ObjectiveTo assess the frequency of ECGs following an annual health examination (AHE) with a primary care physician among patients with no known cardiac conditions or risk factors, to explore factors predictive of receiving an ECG in this clinical scenario, and to compare downstream cardiac testing and clinical outcomes in low-risk patients who did and did not receive an ECG after their AHE.Design, setting, and participantsA population-based retrospective cohort study using administrative health care databases from Ontario, Canada, between 2010/2011 and 2014/2015 to identify low-risk primary care patients and to assess the subsequent outcomes of interest in this time frame. All patients 18 years or older who had no prior cardiac medical history or risk factors who received an AHE.ExposuresReceipt of an ECG within 30 days of an AHE.Main outcomes and measuresPrimary outcome was receipt of downstream cardiac testing or consultation with a cardiologist. Secondary outcomes were death, hospitalization, and revascularization at 12 months.ResultsA total of 3?629?859 adult patients had at least 1 AHE between fiscal years 2010/2011 and 2014/2015. Of these patients, 21.5% had an ECG within 30 days after an AHE. The proportion of patients receiving an ECG after an AHE varied from 1.8% to 76.1% among 679 primary care practices (coefficient of quartile dispersion [CQD], 0.50) and from 1.1% to 94.9% among 8036 primary care physicians (CQD, 0.54). Patients who had an ECG were significantly more likely to receive additional cardiac tests, visits, or procedures than those who did not (odds ratio [OR], 5.14; 95% CI, 5.07-5.21; P?<?.001). The rates of death (0.19% vs 0.16%), cardiac-related hospitalizations (0.46% vs 0.12%), and coronary revascularizations (0.20% vs 0.04%) were low in both the ECG and non-ECG cohorts.Conclusions and relevanceDespite recommendations to the contrary, ECG testing after an AHE is relatively common, with significant variation among primary care physicians. Routine ECG testing seems to increase risk for a subsequent cardiology testing and consultation cascade, even though the overall cardiac event rate in both groups was very low.

Project description:BackgroundUltra-low-dose CT (ULDCT) examinations of the chest at only twice the radiation dose of a chest X-ray (CXR) now offer a valuable imaging alternative to CXR. This trial prospectively compares ULDCT and CXR for the detection rate of diagnoses and their clinical relevance in a low-prevalence cohort of non-traumatic emergency department patients.MethodsIn this prospective crossover cohort trial, 294 non-traumatic emergency department patients with a clinically indicated CXR were included between May 2nd and November 26th of 2019 (www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03922516). All participants received both CXR and ULDCT, and were randomized into two arms with inverse reporting order. The detection rate of CXR was calculated from 'arm CXR' (n = 147; CXR first), and of ULDCT from 'arm ULDCT' (n = 147; ULDCT first). Additional information reported by the second exam in each arm was documented. From all available clinical and imaging data, expert radiologists and emergency physicians built a compound reference standard, including radiologically undetectable diagnoses, and assigned each finding to one of five clinical relevance categories for the respective patient.FindingsDetection rates for main diagnoses by CXR and ULDCT (mean effective dose: 0.22 mSv) were 9.1% (CI [5.2, 15.5]; 11/121) and 20.1% (CI [14.2, 27.7]; 27/134; P = 0.016), respectively. As an additional imaging modality, ULDCT added 9.1% (CI [5.2, 15.5]; 11/121) of main diagnoses to prior CXRs, whereas CXRs did not add a single main diagnosis (0/134; P < 0.001). Notably, ULDCT also offered higher detection rates than CXR for all other clinical relevance categories, including findings clinically irrelevant for the respective emergency department visit with 78.5% (CI [74.0, 82.5]; 278/354) vs. 16.2% (CI [12.7, 20.3]; 58/359) as a primary modality and 68.2% (CI [63.3, 72.8]; 245/359) vs. 2.5% (CI [1.3, 4.7]; 9/354) as an additional imaging modality.InterpretationIn non-traumatic emergency department patients, ULDCT of the chest offered more than twice the detection rate for main diagnoses compared to CXR.FundingThe Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy of Medical University of Vienna received funding from Siemens Healthineers (Erlangen, Germany) to employ two research assistants for one year.

Project description:The utility of chest x-ray examination (CXR) in mandatory annual health examinations for occupational health is debatable in Japan. This study aimed to provide basic data to consider future policies for mandatory annual health examinations in the workplace. A nationwide descriptive survey was performed to determine the rate of detection of tuberculosis, lung cancer, and other diseases through CXR in organizations associated with National Federation of Industrial Health Association. The rate of finding on CXR conducted during annual health examinations in FY2016 was evaluated. Data regarding diagnosis based on follow-up examination findings were obtained and compared with the national statistics. In addition, CXR findings were compared with the results of low-dose lung computed tomography performed at the Hitachi Health Care Center. From 121 surveyed institutions, 88 institutions with 8,669,403 workers were included. For all ages, 1.0% of examinees required follow-up examination. Among 4,764,985 workers with diagnosis data, the tuberculosis detection rate was 1.8-5.3 per 100,000 persons. For Lung cancer, 3,688,396 workers were surveyed, and 334 positive cases were detected. The lung cancer detection rate using CXR was 9.1-24.4 per 100,000 persons. From 164 cases with information regarding the clinical stage, 72 (43.9%) had Stage I lung cancer. From 40,045 workers who underwent low-dose computed tomography multiple times, 31 lung cancer cases, all with Stage I disease, were detected (detection rate: 77.4 per 100,000 persons). Our findings suggest that CXR plays a little role in the detection of active tuberculosis. With regard to LC screening, the detection rate of LC by CXR was lower, approximately 50%, than the expected rate (41.0 per 100,000 persons) of LC morbidity based on the age-sex distribution of this study population. However, the role of CXR for LC screening cannot be mentioned based on this result, because assessment of mortality reduction is essential to evaluate the role.

Project description:ImportanceThe association of low-value testing with downstream care and clinical outcomes among primary care outpatients is unknown to date.ObjectiveTo assess the association of low-value testing with subsequent care among low-risk primary care outpatients undergoing an annual health examination (AHE).Design, setting, and participantsThis population-based retrospective cohort study used administrative health care claims from Ontario, Canada, for primary care outpatients undergoing an AHE between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2016, to identify individuals who could be placed into one (or more) of the following 3 cohorts: adult patients (18 years or older) at low risk for cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, adult patients at low risk for cardiovascular disease, and female patients (aged 13-20 years or older than 69 years) at low risk for cervical cancer. The dates of analysis were June 3 to September 12, 2019.ExposuresLow-value screening tests were defined per cohort as (1) a chest radiograph within 7 days, (2) an electrocardiogram (ECG) within 30 days, or (3) a Papanicolaou test within 7 days after an AHE.Main outcomes and measuresSubsequent specialist visits, diagnostic tests, and procedures within 90 days after a low-value test (if the patient had a chest radiograph, ECG, or Papanicolaou test) or end of the exposure observation window (if not tested).ResultsIncluded in the chest radiograph, ECG, and Papanicolaou test cohorts of propensity score-matched pairs were 43 532 patients (mean [SD] age, 47.5 [14.4] years; 38.5% female), 245 686 patients (mean [SD] age, 49.9 [13.7] years; 51.1% female), and 29 194 patients (mean [SD] age, 45.5 [27.1] years; 100% female), respectively. At 90 days, chest radiographs in low-risk patients were associated with an additional 0.87 (95% CI, 0.69-1.05) and 1.96 (95% CI, 1.71-2.22) patients having an outpatient pulmonology visit or an abdominal or thoracic computed tomography scan per 100 patients, respectively, and ECGs in low-risk patients were associated with an additional 1.92 (95% CI, 1.82-2.02), 5.49 (95% CI, 5.33-5.65), and 4.46 (95% CI, 4.31-4.61) patients having an outpatient cardiologist visit, a transthoracic echocardiogram, or a cardiac stress test per 100 patients, respectively. At 180 days, Papanicolaou testing in low-risk patients was associated with an additional 1.31 (95% CI, 0.84-1.78), 52.8 (95% CI, 51.9-53.6), and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.66-1.01) patients having an outpatient gynecology visit, a follow-up Papanicolaou test, or colposcopy per 100 patients, respectively.Conclusions and relevanceObserved associations in this population-based cohort study suggest that testing in low-risk patients as part of an AHE increases the likelihood of subsequent specialist visits, diagnostic tests, and procedures.

Project description:BackgroundSevere neuropsychiatric outcomes have been reported in individuals exposed to isotretinoin, but the evidence is inconclusive and complicated by several methodological limitations.ObjectivesTo establish and quantify the association between isotretinoin use for acne and 1-year incident neuropsychiatric adverse outcomes.MethodsA propensity score-matched cohort study of electronic medical records between the years 2013 and 2019 with patients followed up for 1 year after their index dispensed prescription was conducted. The database included over 12 million patients aged 12-27 years. We analysed data for individuals with acne in this age range with a dispensed prescription for isotretinoin or a control prescription. Outcomes included diagnoses of any incident sleep or mental health disorder, or nonfatal self-harm within 1 year of the index prescription.ResultsWe included 30 866 patients prescribed isotretinoin for their acne, 44 748 prescribed oral antibiotics, 108 367 prescribed topical anti-acne agents and 78 666 patients with acne but without an anti-acne prescription. After propensity score matching for baseline confounders, the odds ratio (OR) for any incident neuropsychiatric outcomes in patients with acne exposed to isotretinoin was 0·80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0·74-0·87] compared with those on oral antibiotics; 0·94 (95% CI 0·87-1·02) compared with those using topical anti-acne medicines; and 1·06 (95% CI 0·97-1·16) compared with those without a prescription for anti-acne medicines. Patients exposed to isotretinoin experienced significantly more incident physical symptoms than patients in any of the three comparison cohorts.ConclusionsIsotretinoin was not independently associated with excess adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes at the population level. When monitoring potential adverse outcomes during isotretinoin treatment, clinicians should also consider the high mental health burden associated with treatment-resistant acne and the potential contribution of physical side-effects of prescribed medication on mental health.

Dataset Information

Routine use of chest x-ray for low-risk patients undergoing a periodic health examination: a retrospective cohort study.

Publications

Routine use of chest x-ray for low-risk patients undergoing a periodic health examination: a retrospective cohort study.

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