PMID- 17183951
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20070129
LR  - 20151119
IS  - 0017-7768 (Print)
IS  - 0017-7768 (Linking)
VI  - 145
IP  - 11
DP  - 2006 Nov
TI  - [Symptom evaluation as an efficient diagnostic tool for upper abdominal 
      diseases].
PG  - 807-10, 862
AB  - INTRODUCTION: GERD and dyspepsia are common conditions, affecting approximately 
      25-40% of the general population. In the absence of alarm symptoms, the current 
      recommended policy in young dyspeptic patients is a "test and treat" strategy for 
      H. pylori. On the other hand, in GERD patients, a therapeutic trial with proton 
      pump inhibitors (PPI) is the treatment of choice. AIM: This study aimed to create 
      short and simple clinical algorithms, for the diagnosis and treatment of patients 
      with upper gastrointestinal complaints. METHODS: Data mining models and 
      algorithms (neural networks, decision trees and logistic regression) were used to 
      create a diagnostic symptom questionnaire to classify the patients into one of 
      two diagnostic groups: GERD vs. non-GERD. The questionnaire was validated against 
      endoscopic and clinical diagnoses of 132 patients in a cross-sectional study, and 
      was designed to yield a "GERD score". The clinical and economical benefits of the 
      new algorithm were evaluated in primary care clinics in Israel. RESULTS: The 
      symptoms chosen for the diagnostic questionnaire were heartburn, acid 
      regurgitation, sour oral taste, aggravation of symptoms after heavy meals, relief 
      of symptoms by antacids, and nocturnal reflux. The use of the algorithm by 
      primary care physicians improved clinical outcomes and reduced health resources 
      consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This new short algorithm was found to be useful and 
      easy to apply in clinical practice. The questionnaire can be also implemented in 
      computerized medical systems.
FAU - Horowitz, Noya
AU  - Horowitz N
AD  - Department of Gastroenterology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
FAU - Moshkowitz, Menachem
AU  - Moshkowitz M
FAU - Leshno, Moshe
AU  - Leshno M
FAU - Ribak, Joseph
AU  - Ribak J
FAU - Bierkenfeld, Shlomo
AU  - Bierkenfeld S
FAU - Kenneth, Gabi
AU  - Kenneth G
FAU - Halpern, Zamir
AU  - Halpern Z
LA  - heb
PT  - English Abstract
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - Israel
TA  - Harefuah
JT  - Harefuah
JID - 0034351
SB  - IM
MH  - Algorithms
MH  - Decision Trees
MH  - Dyspepsia/*diagnosis/epidemiology
MH  - Gastroesophageal Reflux/*diagnosis/epidemiology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Incidence
MH  - Nerve Net
MH  - Physicians, Family
MH  - Surveys and Questionnaires
EDAT- 2006/12/23 09:00
MHDA- 2007/01/30 09:00
CRDT- 2006/12/23 09:00
PHST- 2006/12/23 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2007/01/30 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2006/12/23 09:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Harefuah. 2006 Nov;145(11):807-10, 862.