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Biomedical subjects

Anne E Duggan

Publications and source records attributed to Anne E Duggan.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Diagnostic accuracy of coeliac serological tests: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The best way to test serologically for coeliac disease (CD) remains controversial, with endomysial (EMA), transglutaminase (TTG), and gliadin antibodies (AGA) being assessed in various combinations with no apparent standardization. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether TTG-IgA+/-TTG-IgG could be used as a replacement for endomysial antibodies as a reliable screen for CD in patients presenting to a major Australian tertiary referral hospital for assessment of symptoms consistent with CD. METHODS: Individuals referred for gastroscopic assessment of possible CD were prospectively evaluated by duodenal biopsy assessment. The following diagnostic methods were compared: dual-isotype transglutaminase (TTG-dual), combined-isotype transglutaminase (TTG-IgA+G), TTG-IgA, combined-isotype gliadin antibodies (AGA-IgA+G), AGA-IgA, and endomysial antibody assays. Clinical performance characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve for receiver-operating characteristic analysis; AUROC) were assessed for all kits. RESULTS: The correlation between transglutaminase kits was generally good, with the best transglutaminase kit demonstrating high correlation (r=0.86) with endomysial antibodies. A comparison of different types of endomysial antibody assays displayed variable diagnostic performance (sensitivity 61.90-68.42%; specificity 80.00-98.57%; AUROC 0.71-0.83). Sensitivity (90.48-92.31%), specificity (80.77-82.89%) and AUROC values (0.92-0.94) for dual-isotype transglutaminase kits displayed narrow ranges. AGA assays were less sensitive (AGA-IgA: 42.31-46.15%; AGA-IgG: 61.54%) and less specific (AGA-IgA: 85.09-87.73%; AGA-IgG: 82.46-84.09%). Dual-isotype transglutaminase testing was diagnostically equivalent to transglutaminase-IgA (AUROC 0.92 versus 0.91, P=0.33). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that transglutaminase screening (using the IgA+/-IgG isotype) is a sensitive and specific alternative to endomysial antibody testing in the serological assessment of CD. On the basis of our findings, AGA antibody testing no longer appears to be an essential part of the diagnostic strategy for adult CD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Characteristics of Australian after-hours emergency endoscopy services.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Early endoscopic intervention reduces morbidity and mortality for patients with high-risk gastrointestinal hemorrhage and gallstones causing pancreatitis or ascending cholangitis. For low-risk bleeds 'after-hours' endoscopy services allow risk stratification and early, safe discharge leading to reduced length of stay. Recognized standards for these services include availability of endoscopically trained medical and nursing staff, access to a specialized endoscopy unit and full availability of the service. The aim of the present study was to assess 'after-hours' endoscopy services at Australian teaching hospitals using the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) criteria. METHODS: A standardized questionnaire based on the BSG guidelines was developed. The Gastroenterology Society of Australia provided a list of accredited sites for gastroenterology training. An advanced gastroenterology trainee at each hospital was interviewed by telephone. RESULTS: Thirty-four centers (100%) provided complete data. Gastroscopy, colonoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were provided in 100, 58 and 84% of centers, respectively. The operation suite followed by endoscopy unit was the most frequently used site. However, one-third of centers performed procedures at the bedside, including the emergency department or ward. Support staff were not consistently trained endoscopically and, in 15 centers (44%), the advanced trainees participated in the 'on call' roster with a consultant present for the procedure, although this was not consistently the case. CONCLUSIONS: Most Australian hospitals offer comprehensive emergency endoscopy services. However, few centers fulfill all BSG recommendations. The registrar training and patient safety implications of emergency endoscopic services need to be considered in the light of these findings.

After-Hours Care↗
PubMed2005

A 9 year prospective cohort study of endoscoped patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Despite the high prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms and associated costs of diagnosis and management, evidence regarding long-term outcomes is scant. We studied symptom outcomes 18 months (FU1) and 8/9 years (FU2) post-index endoscopy to identify demographic, diagnostic and treatment factors associated with outcomes. A retrospective review of medical records at two Australian teaching hospitals identified a cohort of 302 patients who had an index endoscopy (performed by 23 endoscopists) 18 months previously. Patients were interviewed at FU1 and FU2. In total 34% (95%CI: 29.0 39.8) of patients were asymptomatic at FUI and 41% (95%CI: 35.6-46.6) at FU2. For 63%, outcomes at FUI predicted long-term outcome, with 19% (95%CI: 14.6-23.4) asymptomatic and 44% (95%CI: 38.4-50.0) symptomatic at both times. Those whose symptom status changed were as likely to deteriorate as improve (p > 0.05). Number and severity of presenting symptoms (F = 3.3, df = 3,277, p < 0.05) and older age (F = 2.8, df = 2,301, p < 0.05) were associated with poorer outcomes. Long-term outcome was unrelated to endoscopic diagnosis. Those symptomatic were significantly more likely to be on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or Histamine2 Receptor Antagonists (H2RAs) than those who were asymptomatic. Use of PPIs at FU2 was associated with a significantly better outcome than use of H2RAs. However this impact was relatively small, with 69% of patients on PPIs and 84% on H2RAs symptomatic at FU2. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms prompting endoscopy are chronic for the majority of patients regardless of diagnosis. Endoscopic diagnosis is of limited value in predicting long-term outcomes. The association between poor outcome and use of H2RAs and PPIs challenges views about their long-term effectiveness in symptom control.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The possible causes of the pandemic of peptic ulcer in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Helicobacter pylori is established as a cause of peptic ulcer (PU). Less well recognised is that an epidemic of PU began around the middle of the 19th century, reached a peak at the turn of the century, and is now on the wane. As the epidemic developed, the risk of PU increased in successive generations throughout life. Then the epidemic diminished in successive generations. The risk of gastric ulcer (GU) was highest in people born around 1885, while the risk of duodenal ulcer (DU) was highest in those born about 10-30 years later. H. pylori infection offers an inadequate explanation of the PU epidemic. Although the epidemic coincided with a major rise in cigarette smoking, PU then declined in spite of an increased incidence of smoking. None of the other possible causes of ulcer (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, stress or diet) satisfactorily explains the epidemics of GU and DU and their asynchronicity. The best, but inadequate, explanation for the epidemic is the coincidence of the acquisition of a new potent strain of H. pylori in childhood and the uptake of smoking in adult life.

Disease Outbreaks↗