Abstract
We studied the percentage and distribution of appropriate indications for duplex scanning of neck vessels in an outpatient population. A total of 650 consecutive outpatients sent by their general practitioner (GP) or a specialist for duplex scanning of epi-aortic arterial vessels were studied. The aim was to verify the percentage of appropriate (APR) and inappropriate (INAPR) indications for the examination, according to the current literature. After analysis of indications as reported by GPs or specialists and a brief anamnestic examination, 77% of patients were found to have had one or more APR and 23% of patients had none. Analysis of severity of atheromasic lesions between the two groups showed that patients with APR had significantly (p60%) stenosis while 6.4% of patients with APR had severe stenosis. Moreover, the percentage of normal examinations or intima-media thickness only was 32.5% in patients with INAPR but fell to 17.2% in patients with APR. In the entire group, women were more represented than men even after consideration of the natural prevalence of female gender in the local population. Among inappropriate indications for the examination, isolated dizzness or vertigo, syncope and tinnitus were the most frequent. Continuous medical education is needed to reduce inappropriate indications and thus to find solutions, although partial, to shorten the waiting lists that have become an urgent problem for the public health systems of several Western countries. However, this appears to be difficult challenge, as experiments conducted on this issue by other researchers only gave transient positive results.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 437-441 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Neurological Sciences |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |
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Keywords
- Carotid atherosclerosis
- Duplex scanning
- Indications
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
Duplex scanning of neck vessels : Need for extending the consensus on indications. / Rodriguez, G.; Delmonte, M.; Vitali, P.; Bordoni, C.; Barone, C.; Nobili, F.
In: Neurological Sciences, Vol. 22, No. 6, 2002, p. 437-441.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Duplex scanning of neck vessels
T2 - Need for extending the consensus on indications
AU - Rodriguez, G.
AU - Delmonte, M.
AU - Vitali, P.
AU - Bordoni, C.
AU - Barone, C.
AU - Nobili, F.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - We studied the percentage and distribution of appropriate indications for duplex scanning of neck vessels in an outpatient population. A total of 650 consecutive outpatients sent by their general practitioner (GP) or a specialist for duplex scanning of epi-aortic arterial vessels were studied. The aim was to verify the percentage of appropriate (APR) and inappropriate (INAPR) indications for the examination, according to the current literature. After analysis of indications as reported by GPs or specialists and a brief anamnestic examination, 77% of patients were found to have had one or more APR and 23% of patients had none. Analysis of severity of atheromasic lesions between the two groups showed that patients with APR had significantly (p60%) stenosis while 6.4% of patients with APR had severe stenosis. Moreover, the percentage of normal examinations or intima-media thickness only was 32.5% in patients with INAPR but fell to 17.2% in patients with APR. In the entire group, women were more represented than men even after consideration of the natural prevalence of female gender in the local population. Among inappropriate indications for the examination, isolated dizzness or vertigo, syncope and tinnitus were the most frequent. Continuous medical education is needed to reduce inappropriate indications and thus to find solutions, although partial, to shorten the waiting lists that have become an urgent problem for the public health systems of several Western countries. However, this appears to be difficult challenge, as experiments conducted on this issue by other researchers only gave transient positive results.
AB - We studied the percentage and distribution of appropriate indications for duplex scanning of neck vessels in an outpatient population. A total of 650 consecutive outpatients sent by their general practitioner (GP) or a specialist for duplex scanning of epi-aortic arterial vessels were studied. The aim was to verify the percentage of appropriate (APR) and inappropriate (INAPR) indications for the examination, according to the current literature. After analysis of indications as reported by GPs or specialists and a brief anamnestic examination, 77% of patients were found to have had one or more APR and 23% of patients had none. Analysis of severity of atheromasic lesions between the two groups showed that patients with APR had significantly (p60%) stenosis while 6.4% of patients with APR had severe stenosis. Moreover, the percentage of normal examinations or intima-media thickness only was 32.5% in patients with INAPR but fell to 17.2% in patients with APR. In the entire group, women were more represented than men even after consideration of the natural prevalence of female gender in the local population. Among inappropriate indications for the examination, isolated dizzness or vertigo, syncope and tinnitus were the most frequent. Continuous medical education is needed to reduce inappropriate indications and thus to find solutions, although partial, to shorten the waiting lists that have become an urgent problem for the public health systems of several Western countries. However, this appears to be difficult challenge, as experiments conducted on this issue by other researchers only gave transient positive results.
KW - Carotid atherosclerosis
KW - Duplex scanning
KW - Indications
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036227983&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036227983&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s100720200002
DO - 10.1007/s100720200002
M3 - Article
C2 - 11976974
AN - SCOPUS:0036227983
VL - 22
SP - 437
EP - 441
JO - Neurological Sciences
JF - Neurological Sciences
SN - 1590-1874
IS - 6
ER -