Pretest probability assessment derived from attribute matching.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pretest probability (PTP) assessment plays a central role in diagnosis. This report compares a novel attribute-matching method to generate a PTP for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We compare the new method with a validated logistic regression equation (LRE).

Methods

Eight clinical variables (attributes) were chosen by classification and regression tree analysis of a prospectively collected reference database of 14,796 emergency department (ED) patients evaluated for possible ACS. For attribute matching, a computer program identifies patients within the database who have the exact profile defined by clinician input of the eight attributes. The novel method was compared with the LRE for ability to produce PTP estimation <2% in a validation set of 8,120 patients eval

SUBMITTER: Kline JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1201143 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature