Biomedical subjects

P Embrechts

Publications and source records attributed to P Embrechts.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Evaluating patients with chest pain using classification and regression trees.

We collected data on 320 patients complaining to their general practitioner of a new episode of chest pain, discomfort or oppression. Relationships were examined between initial signs and symptoms and a follow-up diagnosis after a period of 2 weeks to 2 months. The data were analysed with CART, a statistical decision theory software package. In our first run, the number of misclassifications by CART was 56%. After regrouping of the data and diagnostic categories, there were 37% misclassifications. The most discriminating variable turned out to be pain on palpation. When comparing each of five diagnostic groups to all others, we found a positive predictive value of 27% for gastrointestinal diseases, 72% for cardiovascular disorders, 69% for respiratory diseases, 58% for psychopathology and 73% for chest wall pathology. The CART methodology needs further investigation and testing before any clinical application will be possible in general practice.

Chest Pain↗

PubMed1991

Chest pain: an evaluation of the initial diagnosis made by 25 Flemish general practitioners.

Twenty-five general practitioners collected information on 318 contacts of patients with a new episode of chest pain, discomfort or tightness. A list of complaints, signs and symptoms were checked, together with the initial diagnosis, made by the GP immediately after the physical examination. The initial diagnosis was compared to a follow-up diagnosis. The gain in certainty was also compared. The GP made a correct initial diagnosis in 82% of patients. In 8% there was a clinically important difference, and seven of 17 episodes of oesophageal disease were missed. For their initial diagnosis, the GP scored 74% certain, 20% uncertain and no diagnosis in 6%. For the final diagnosis, these figures were 88%, 8% and 4%.

Belgium↗

PubMed1989

Influence of sex and gestational age on cord blood IgE.

Cord blood IgE (CB-IgE) is widely used as a screening parameter for atopy. Therefore it is necessary to define the normal values accurately. In this study influence of sex and gestational age on CB-IgE is evaluated. 5,305 cord blood samples were analysed. Boys had a higher CB-IgE than girls (p less than 0.001). Using a cut-off value for normal of 2.4 micrograms/l, boys had significantly more abnormal values than girls (p = 0.0475). Using a lower cut-off value (2.16, 1.92, 1.68 micrograms/l) the difference became more significant (p = 0.0029, p = 0.0036 and p = 0.0019 respectively). Gestational age (in the range from 34-42 weeks of gestation) had no influence on the absolute CB-IgE concentration nor on the number of abnormal values. From this study we may conclude that, when CB-IgE is used in prediction and prevention programs for atopic disease, the sex of the newborn should be taken into consideration when evaluating the results, in particular when the cut-off limit is lowered. No correction needs to be made for gestational age if the baby is born after the 34th week of gestation.

Female↗

PubMed1987

Cord blood IgE and month of birth.

If cord blood IgE is used to detect those predisposed to become allergic it is important to define appropriately the normal values for this measurement. A commonly cited cut off point is 1.0 IU/ml. We analysed 5353 cord blood samples for IgE by means of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Descriptive statistics of the distribution curve of cord blood IgE concentrations showed that most normal values were well below the cut off value of 1.0 IU/ml and that most abnormal values were in the neighbourhood of 1.0 IU/ml. It seems advantageous, therefore, to lower the cut off value for cord blood IgE. When cord blood IgE was analysed according to the child's month of birth a significantly uneven distribution of abnormal cases of cord blood IgE concentrations over the year was found. The occurrence of an abnormal cord blood IgE concentration showed a significant cyclic trend, with a peak near the end of April and a trough in late October.

Female↗