Retrospective audit of the value of the XXXX test in a district general hospital.

@entity1 @entity66 @entity167 @entity294 @entity3210 @entity23605
OBJECTIVES: To audit the specificity and value of the @entity23605 test (PLT) for the diagnosis of @entity3210 . DESIGN: A retrospective case note review of 47 @entity1 who had a PLT during three consecutive years. SETTING: A 650 bedded district general hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: @entity1 demographics, symptoms, baseline blood, endoscopic and radiological investigations, and @entity167 consumption were related to the results of the PLT to determine if the test could be better targeted. Response to therapy and final diagnoses were noted to determine the specificity of the test. RESULTS: Forty seven @entity1 had a PLT during the three years studied. All successfully performed the test as outpatients. Seven inconclusive tests were repeated. Thirty eight @entity1 (81%) had @entity294 , of whom 10 (21%) described steatorrhoea; 23 (49%) had an abnormal PLT. All with an abnormal test had @entity294 , more frequently describing watery stools than steatorrhoea. Those treated with pancreatic enzyme supplements had an excellent response, although two of these had a final diagnosis of @entity66 . Nineteen @entity1 with an abnormal PLT were thought to be suffering from @entity3210 . All @entity1 with a normal PLT were clinically thought not to have @entity3210 . Age, sex, and @entity167 intake correlated poorly with final diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The PLT can be used in a district general hospital setting as an outpatient test for @entity3210 and has a specificity of 83%-91%. Its use should be restricted to those presenting with @entity294 , not necessarily steatorrhoea, and not restricted to those with a history of high @entity167 consumption.
