Agreement between diagnoses reached by clinical examination and available reference standards: a prospective study of 216 patients with lumbopelvic pain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The tissue origin of low back pain (LBP) or referred lower extremity symptoms (LES) may be identified in about 70% of cases using advanced imaging, discography and facet or sacroiliac joint blocks. These techniques are invasive and availability varies. A clinical examination is non-invasive and widely available but its validity is questioned. Diagnostic studies usually examine single tests in relation to single reference standards, yet in clinical practice, clinicians use multiple tests and select from a range of possible diagnoses. There is a need for studies that evaluate the diagnostic performance of clinical diagnoses against available reference standards.

Methods

We compared blinded clinical diagnoses with diagnoses based on available reference standards for

SUBMITTER: Laslett M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1184083 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature