Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
Measurements of Motor Function and Other Clinical Outcome Parameters in Ambulant Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Published on: January 12, 2019
Accuracy of Telephone-Based Follow-Up in Identifying Critical Events in Children With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Lokesh Saini1, Sheffali Gulati1, Vishal Sondhi1
1Centre of Excellence & Advanced Research for Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Child Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Insights
Telephone consultations can accurately identify critical clinical events in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). This approach may reduce healthcare costs and improve access to care for these patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Telemedicine
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Childhood neuromuscular disorders, like Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), impose significant economic burdens due to frequent in-person outpatient visits.
- Impaired ambulation in children with progressive DMD often complicates healthcare facility access.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic accuracy of telephone consultations in identifying critical clinical events in children with DMD.
- To determine if telephonic follow-ups can reduce costs associated with in-person outpatient visits.
Main Methods:
- Children aged 5+ with DMD at a tertiary pediatric center were enrolled.
- Physicians conducted telephonic consultations 48-72 hours before scheduled outpatient appointments.
- A blinded specialist assessed children during in-person visits; telephone consultation accuracy was compared.
Main Results:
- Telephone consultation showed high diagnostic accuracy for critical clinical events.
- Sensitivity was 95.2%, specificity 81.1%, positive predictive value 91.9%, and negative predictive value 88.2%.
Conclusions:
- Physician-initiated telephone consultations are a reliable method for identifying critical events in children with DMD.
- This method supports timely face-to-face consultations and potentially reduces healthcare costs.
Introduction/Aims:
Costs associated with in-person outpatient services in childhood neuromuscular disorders represent a major economic burden, and it is often difficult to bring children with these progressive disorders to health care facilities owing to their impaired ambulation. Follow-up of specialists by telephonic consultations after the initial assessment and treatment plan may reduce the costs related to outpatient in-person visits in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The present study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of telephone consultation to identify critical clinical events related to disease progression, development of new comorbidities, non-compliance with treatment, and medication-related adverse events in children with DMD.
Methods:
Children aged ≥ 5 years with DMD visiting a tertiary care pediatric center were enrolled in the study. Parents of these children were contacted telephonically by a physician 48-72 h prior to the child's scheduled outpatient appointment at the hospital. Subsequently, all children were assessed during the scheduled visit at the out-patient facility by another specialist who was blinded to the telephone consultation. The diagnostic accuracy of telephone consultation was determined by comparison with face-to-face consultation.
Results:
A total of 58 consecutive eligible children were enrolled and 30 were included for final analysis. Telephone consultation demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.2%, specificity of 81.1%, and positive and negative predictive values of 91.9% and 88.2%, respectively, for identifying critical clinical events.
Discussion:
The physician-initiated telephone consultation has acceptable diagnostic accuracy to identify critical events that need face-to-face consultation among children with DMD.
