Steurer
Fakultäten » Medizinische Fakultät » Horten-Zentrum für Praxisorientierte Forschung und Wissenstransfer » Prof. Dr. Johann Steurer » Steurer
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Development of a probability function to calculate the prevalence of pneumonia in patients with recent onset or worsening of cough and fever | ||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Background: In medical practice it is difficult to differentiate between acute bronchitis and pneumonia without performing lab- tests and/or chest x-rays in patients with recent onset of cough and fever. This distinction is important, because, in general, patients with pneumonia have to be treated with antibiotics whereas for patients with acute bronchitis an antibiotic treatment is unnecessary. Objective: The aim of this study is to deduce a probability function for calculating the probability of pneumonia – at the point of consultation – on the basis of history and physical examination alone in patients with recent onset or worsening of cough and fever. Methods: In 980 patients attending physicians in the Canton of Zurich because of recent onset of cough or acute exacerbation of chronic cough and fever the information about the relevant diagnostic indicators, including C - reactive protein (CRP) will be collected and a chest x ray to exclude pneumonia will be performed. Expected Value of the Proposed Project: The resulting probability function will allow physicians to calculate the probability of pneumonia in patients with cough and fever. This aids physicians to decide in which patients pneumonia can be ruled out with high probability on clinical information alone (history and physical examination), without lab-tests and/or chest x-rays. |
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| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | diagnosis, pneumonia, acute bronchitis | ||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Foundation |
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| In collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Dec 2006 to Nov 2008 |