title: Appropiateness of colonoscopy in the university hospital center of monastir. Interest and applicability of criteria established by the European panel on the appropriateness of gastrointestinal endoscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  1) To assess the applicability of EPAGE criteria in there first version (EPAGE I) in clinical practice, 2) to assess colonoscopy appropriateness using EPAGE I criteria, 3) to compare colonoscopy appropriateness and findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and eighty-seven consecutive diagnostic colonoscopies were included. The appropriateness of the indication of colonoscopy was appreciated using a scoring system on the basis of the EPAGE criteria in there first version (EPAGE I).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Appropriateness were applied in 86,4% of the colonoscopies. Fifty-one percent were appropriate, 14% uncertain and 18% inappropriate. The difference of 17% represented the procedures indicated for hematochezia and for witch an appropriateness score can not be attributed because of lack of clinical information. The probability of finding a clinically significant lesion was significantly higher in patients aged ≥ 50 years, males, inpatients, those referred by gastroenterologists and those who had the colonoscopy for "appropriate" indication according to the EPAGE I criteria. The independent variables correlated with the diagnostic yield of colonoscopy were the age, the appropriateness of indication and the health care setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EPAGE I criteria were applicable in most patients and were correlated with significant findings. They are thereby useful to rationalize colonoscopy demand. However, they could be regularly updated.
authors.forename: Olfa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hellara
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debbabi
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ben Chaabene
authors.forename: Wafa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ben Mansour
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Loghmari
authors.forename: Wissem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Melki
authors.forename: Fathia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bdioui
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Safer
authors.forename: Hammouda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saffar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult