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Table 4 Diagnostic power of the individual cues in the 19 minor cases

From: Evaluating the scripts and thresholds of general practitioners for diagnosing heart failure in elderly people

 

Total group

Trainee

Trainer

Average power, median (IQR)

Average power, median (IQR)

Cue used to exclude HF n (%)

Average power, median (IQR)

Cue used to exclude HF n (%)

Lung auscultation

     

 Normal

−0.5 (−1.0, −0.25)

−0.50 (−1.0, −0.20)

98 (75.4)

−0.75 (−1.0, −0.25)

54 (85.7)

 Basal crepitation

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

1.5 (1.5, 2.0)

1 (0.8)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

1 (1.6)

 Wheezing

0 (−1.0, 0.50)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0.13)

72 (55.4)

0 (−0.50, 0.50)*

17 (27.0)

Dyspnoea

     

 Absent

−1.0 (−1.5, −0.50)

−1.0 (−1.0, −0.50)

114 (87.7)

−1.0 (−1.5, −0.50)

58 (92.1)

 Present

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

2 (1.5)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

0 (0)

NT-proBNP

     

 Normal

−1.3 (−2.3, −0.67)

−1.3 (−2.3, 0.67)

113 (86.9)

−1.3 (−2.7, −0.67)

53 (84.1)

 Increased

2.0 (1.3, 2.7)

2.0 (1.3, 2.7)

0 (0)

2.0 (1.3, 2.3)

0 (0)

Heart murmur

     

 Absent

0 (−0.50, 0)

0 (−0.50, 0)

42 (32.3)

0 (−0.50, 0)

28 (44.4)

 Present

1.0 (0.50, 1.5)

1.0 (0.50, 1.5)

2 (1.5)

1.0 (0.50, 1.5)

2 (3.2)

Orthopnoea

     

 Absent

−0.67 (−1.0, −0.33)

−0.67 (−1.0, −0.33)

101 (77.7)

−0.67 (−1.0, −0.33)

50 (79.4)

 Present

2.0 (1.7, 2.7)

2.0 (1.7, 2.7)

0 (0)

2.0 (1.7, 2.7)

0 (0)

Jugular venous pressure

     

 Normal

−0.33 (−1.0, 0)

−0.33 (−0.67, 0)

66 (50.8)

−0.67 (−1.0, 0)*

42 (66.7)

 Increased

1.7 (1.3, 2.3)

1.7 (1.3, 2.1)

0 (0)

1.7 (1.0, 2.3)

0 (0)

Nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnoea

     

 Absent

−0.5 (−1.0, 0)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

84 (64.6)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

43 (68.3)

 Present

1.0 (1.0, 2.0)

1.0 (0.50, 1.6)

2 (1.5)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)*

1 (1.6)

Apex beat

     

 Normal

0 (0, 0)

0 (0, 0)

19 (14.6)

0 (−0.50, 0)*

19 (30.2)

 Displaced

1.0 (1.0, 1.5)

1.0 (1.0, 1.5)

1 (0.8)

1.0 (1.0, 1.5)*

0 (0)

Oedema

     

 Absent

−0.75 (−1.0, 0)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

96 (73.8)

−0.75 (−1.0, 0)

47 (74.6)

 Present

1.5 (1.3, 2.0)

1.8 (1.3, 2.0)

0 (0)

1.5 (1.3, 2.0)

0 (0)

History myocardial infarct

     

 Absent

−0.50 (−0.75, 0)

−0.50 (−0.63, 0)

71 (54.6)

0 (−1.0, 0)

29 (46.0)

 Present

2.0 (1.0, 2.0)

2.0 (1.0, 2.0)

0 (0)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

0 (0)

Electrocardiography

     

 Normal

0 (−1, 0)

0 (−1.0, 0)

61 (46.9)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

34 (54.0)

 Abnormal

0.50 (0, 1.0)

0.50 (0, 1.0)

4 (3.1)

0.50 (0, 1.0)

5 (7.9)

Chest X-ray (cardiothoracic index)

     

 Normal

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

78 (60.0)

−0.50 (−1.0, 0)

39 (61.9)

 Abnormal

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

1 (0.8)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)

0 (0)

Pulse rate

     

 Regular

0 (−0.50, 0)

0 (0, 0)

30 (23.1)

0 (−0.50, 0)

21 (33.3)

 Irregular

1.0 (1.0, 1.8)

1.0 (1.0, 1.5)

6 (4.6)

1.5 (1.0, 2.0)*

0 (0)

Appetite

     

 Normal

0 (0, 0)

0 (0, 0)

15 (11.5)

0 (0, 0)

11 (17.5)

 Decreased

0.50 (0, 1.0)

0.50 (0, 1.0)

10 (7.7)

1.0 (0, 1.0)*

3 (4.8)

  1. *Significant difference in mean power assigned to the cues in the minor cases between trainees and trainers (Mann–Whitney U test, P < 0.05)