Managing incidental findings and disclosure of results in a paediatric research cohort - the LIFE Child Study cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the frequency of incidental findings (IFs) in the population-based "Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE) Child Study" within 1 year.


METHODS
From July 2011 to June 2012, 969 children participated in the study. The IFs were analysed with respect to age, gender, type of examination and clinical action taken.


RESULTS
The IFs were detected in 63 participants (6.5%), including five children who presented with two IFs simultaneously. Eleven children received a new, hence previously unknown, clinical diagnosis. Alternatively, 18 IFs could not be confirmed or were of a transient and self-limiting condition. The frequency of IFs varied widely depending on the type of examination, but did not differ by gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Although IFs were common events, there was no finding with a profound clinical impact on the subject's life. Our current IF management protocol may be useful in creating management plans for other cohort studies.
Mirja
M
Quante
Sarah
S
Bruckmann
Tillman
T
Wallborn
Nadine
N
Wolf
Elena
E
Sergeyev
Melanie
M
Adler
Mara
M
Hesse
Mandy
M
Geserick
Stephanie
S
Naumann
Christiane
C
Koch
Harini
H
Nivarthi
Christoph
C
Engel
Antje
A
Körner
Wieland
W
Kiess
Andreas
A
Hiemisch
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014342:Truth Disclosure