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Application of pediatric appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient evaluation of syncope.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Phelps, HM; Kelleman, MS; McCracken, CE; Benavidez, OJ; Campbell, RM; Douglas, PS; Eidem, BW; Lai, WW; Lopez, L; Stern, KWD; Welch, E; Sachdeva, R
Published in: Echocardiography
March 2017

BACKGROUND: Syncope is a common reason for outpatient transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We studied the applicability of pediatric appropriate use criteria (AUC) on initial outpatient evaluation of children (≤18 years) with syncope. METHODS: Data were obtained before (Phase I, April-September 2014) and after (Phase II, January-April 2015) the release of the AUC document from six participating pediatric cardiology centers. Site investigators determined the indication for TTE and assigned appropriateness rating based on the AUC document: Appropriate (A), May Be Appropriate (M), Rarely Appropriate (R), or "unclassifiable" (U) if it did not fit any scenario in the AUC document. RESULTS: Of the total 4562 TTEs, 310 (6.8%) were performed for syncope: 174/2655 (6.6%) Phase I and 136/1907 (7.1%) Phase II, P=.44. Overall, 168 (50.5%) were for indications rated A, 63 (18.9%) for M, 79 (23.7%) for R, and 23 (6.9%) for U. Release of AUC did not change the appropriateness of TTEs [A=51.6% vs 49.0%, P=.63, R=20.2% vs 28.3%, P=.09]. Overall syncope-related R indications formed 15.7% of R indications for all the echocardiograms performed in the entire Pediatric Appropriate Use (PAUSE) study (11.9% Phase I and 22.4% Phase II, P=.002). TTEs were normal in majority of the patients except 7 that had incidental findings. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, syncope is a common reason for indications rated R and release of the AUC document did not improve appropriate utilization of TTE in syncope. Targeted educational interventions are needed to reduce unnecessary TTEs in children with syncope.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Echocardiography

DOI

EISSN

1540-8175

Publication Date

March 2017

Volume

34

Issue

3

Start / End Page

441 / 445

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Syncope
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pediatrics
  • Outpatients
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Guideline Adherence
  • Female
  • Echocardiography
  • Child
 

Citation

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Phelps, H. M., Kelleman, M. S., McCracken, C. E., Benavidez, O. J., Campbell, R. M., Douglas, P. S., … Sachdeva, R. (2017). Application of pediatric appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient evaluation of syncope. Echocardiography, 34(3), 441–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/echo.13475
Phelps, Heather M., Michael S. Kelleman, Courtney E. McCracken, Oscar J. Benavidez, Robert M. Campbell, Pamela S. Douglas, Benjamin W. Eidem, et al. “Application of pediatric appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient evaluation of syncope.Echocardiography 34, no. 3 (March 2017): 441–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/echo.13475.
Phelps HM, Kelleman MS, McCracken CE, Benavidez OJ, Campbell RM, Douglas PS, et al. Application of pediatric appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient evaluation of syncope. Echocardiography. 2017 Mar;34(3):441–5.
Phelps, Heather M., et al. “Application of pediatric appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient evaluation of syncope.Echocardiography, vol. 34, no. 3, Mar. 2017, pp. 441–45. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/echo.13475.
Phelps HM, Kelleman MS, McCracken CE, Benavidez OJ, Campbell RM, Douglas PS, Eidem BW, Lai WW, Lopez L, Stern KWD, Welch E, Sachdeva R. Application of pediatric appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient evaluation of syncope. Echocardiography. 2017 Mar;34(3):441–445.
Journal cover image

Published In

Echocardiography

DOI

EISSN

1540-8175

Publication Date

March 2017

Volume

34

Issue

3

Start / End Page

441 / 445

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Syncope
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pediatrics
  • Outpatients
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Guideline Adherence
  • Female
  • Echocardiography
  • Child