Older Age Tied to Higher CT Positivity in Abdominal Pain
A recent study found that older adults visiting the emergency department with abdominal pain are more likely to undergo CT imaging and have actionable findings compared to younger adults. However, diagnosing serious conditions in older patients is complicated by the lack of clear abdominal tenderness. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and testing in older patients despite their less specific symptoms.
- ▪CT ordering rates increased significantly with age, with 70.7% of older adults undergoing CT imaging.
- ▪Older adults had higher rates of acute, actionable CT findings, with 37.7% of those aged 60 and older showing positive results.
- ▪The study indicated that abdominal tenderness was less sensitive for identifying adverse outcomes in older adults compared to younger adults.
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TOPLINE:A retrospective cohort study found that older adults visiting the emergency department (ED) with abdominal pain underwent CT imaging more often than younger adults and were more likely to have acute, actionable CT findings. However, older adults with serious conditions were less likely to exhibit clear abdominal tenderness, making diagnosis more difficult.METHODOLOGY:Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of data from 1169 ED visits for nontraumatic abdominal pain at a community teaching hospital in Baltimore between 2016 and 2017, including 547 younger adults (aged 18-39 years), 393 middle-aged adults (aged 40-59 years), and 229 older adults (aged 60 years or older).The researchers evaluated CT use, acute actionable CT findings, hospital admissions, surgeries, and…
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