title: Critical laboratory result reporting system in cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Automatic transmission of computer-generated Critical Laboratory Result Reports (CLRRs) to physicians can improve the care of advanced cancer patients by improving the communication efficacy of important medical information.
  
  
  METHODS
  We followed a cohort of 2012 cancer patients from diagnosis to five years or to death if it occurred before five years from diagnosis. The incidence and number of CLRRs and their association with diagnosis, age, gender, tumor size, and clinical staging were evaluated. The CLRRs that were reported included for example: glucose<40 or>500, hemoglobin<6.0. (Appendix 1)
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand, twelve patients with cancer were included in the study; 45.6 percent had one or more critical laboratory results that required a CLRR. Older patients greater than or equal to 75 years of age had more CLRRs than younger patients. Patients with colorectal, liver, and lung cancer had a significantly higher number of CLRRs. More CLRRs were also seen in late-staged cancers. These conditions also have higher mortality rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Critical values are common in patients with cancer, especially older patients with advanced disease. They occur more commonly with some cancers of liver and lung cancers. Our data demonstrate that critical laboratory values can be transmitted successfully to physicians. The impact of this system promises to improve the care of these individuals' serious illnesses. A prospective study to demonstrate the benefit of this system is being planned.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miser
authors.forename: Ching-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Kuan
authors.forename: Yu-Ann
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Yu-Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019295:Computational Biology; D016638:Critical Illness; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D013624:Taiwan