The value of abdominal examination in the diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
BACKGROUND
There is considerable variability in the reported value of clinical examination in the diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). This study aims to assess accuracy of abdominal examination by a doctor, a nurse and the patient in the diagnosis of AAA and whether this accuracy is related to the size of the aneurysm and/or the BMI of the patient.


METHODS
164 patients, 138 men and 26 women, median age 71 years, consented to participate in this prospective, single blind, controlled study. Thirty-nine patients attending for carotid duplex were used as controls. Abdominal examination was performed by a doctor and a nurse. Patients then performed self-examination.


RESULTS
Examination by a doctor, a nurse and the patient were similar in accuracy in diagnosing/excluding AAA which was directly related to AAA size and patient BMI. The Negative Predicted Value of abdominal examination exceeds 0.9 with AAA diameters > or =4 cm and the Positive Predictive Value exceeds 0.8 with AAA diameters > or =5 cm.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdominal examination by a doctor, a nurse and the patient is of value in the exclusion and diagnosis of significant AAA. It should be promoted and may represent a useful adjunct to population screening with ultrasound.
Venkatasubramaniam
A K
AK
Academic Vascular Unit, Vascular Laboratory, Alderson House, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, East Yorkshire HU3 2JZ, UK.
Mehta
T
T
Chetter
I C
IC
Bryce
J
J
Renwick
P
P
Johnson
B
B
Wilkinson
A
A
McCollum
P T
PT
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method