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Biomedical subjects

C Stones

Publications and source records attributed to C Stones.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Using patient and general practice characteristics to explain variations in cervical smear uptake rates.

OBJECTIVES: To produce practice and patient variables for general practices from census and family health services authority data, and to determine the importance of these variables in explaining variation in cervical smear uptake rates between practices. DESIGN: Population based study examining variations in cervical smear uptake rates among 126 general practices using routine data. SETTING: Merton, Sutton, and Wandsworth Family Health Services Authority, which covers parts of inner and outer London. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Percentage of women aged 25-64 years registered with a general practitioner who had undergone a cervical smear test during the five and a half years preceding 31 March 1992. RESULTS: Cervical smear uptake rates varied from 16.5% to 94.1%. The estimated percentage of practice population from ethnic minority groups correlated negatively with uptake rates (r = -0.42), as did variables associated with social deprivation such as overcrowding (r = -0.42), not owning a car (r = -0.41), and unemployment (r = -0.40). Percentage of practice population under 5 years of age correlated positively with uptake rate (r = 0.42). Rates were higher in practices with a female partner than in those without (66.6% v 49.1%; difference 17.5% (95% confidence interval 10.5% to 24.5%)), and in computerised than in non-computerised practices (64.5% v 50.5%; 14.0% (6.4% to 21.6%)). Rates were higher in larger practices. In a stepwise multiple regression model that explained 52% of variation, five factors were significant predictors of uptake rates: presence of a female partner; children under 5; overcrowding; number of women aged 35-44 as percentage of all women aged 25-64; change of address in past year. CONCLUSIONS: Over half of variation in cervical smear uptake rates can be explained by patient and practice variables derived from census and family health services authority data; these variables may have a role in explaining variations in performance of general practices and in producing adjusted measures of practice performance. Practices with a female partner had substantially higher uptake rates.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Evaluation of serum haptoglobin levels in patients with adnexal masses.

Over a four-year period, serum haptoglobin was measured in 152 patients with adnexal masses in an attempt to discriminate between benign and malignant disease. When serum haptoglobin exceeded 150 mg/dl, malignancy could be identified with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 84%. While the predictive value of a positive test is only 66%, the predictive value of a negative test is 93%, and this inexpensive test may be clinically useful. Stage, grade, and size of tumor did not correlate with serum haptoglobin levels.

Adnexa Uteri↗
PubMed1986

Rapid bacteriuria screening in a urological setting: clinical use.

The clinical use of a commercially available semiautomated bacteriuria screening device was evaluated in a urological setting. The 1,300 consecutive urine specimens processed by the device were contrasted with results of standard semiquantitative culture. A small number (2 per cent) were screened unsuccessfully owing to a clogged filter. With greater than 10(5) colony-forming units per ml. the sensitivity of the device was 91 per cent but it was only 81 per cent with bacteriuria levels greater than 10(4) colony-forming units per ml. More importantly, the predictive value of a negative test was 99 per cent with more than 10(5) colony-forming units per ml. and 96 per cent with more than 10(4) colony-forming units per ml. This capability promotes safe urological instrumentation and timely patient care.

Bacteriuria↗