Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Screening investigations in the elderly

J M Sewell, L L Spooner, A K Dixon

    Age and Ageing
    |August 1, 1981
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    An editor's journey: 6 years with European Radiology.

    European radiology·2013
    Same author

    Publishing and academic promotion.

    Singapore medical journal·2009
    Same author

    Variations in the MRI appearance of the insertion of the tendon of subscapularis.

    Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y.)·2009
    Same author

    Interobserver variability in the measurement of abdominal aortic calcification using unenhanced CT.

    The British journal of radiology·2008
    Same author

    Evaluation of image quality and radiation dose in adolescent thoracic imaging: 64-slice is preferable to 16-slice multislice CT.

    The British journal of radiology·2008
    Same author

    Late relapse of stage i seminoma following single-agent carboplatin.

    Oncology·2008
    Same journal

    How social, psychological, and spiritual needs are supported in the last months of life: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing end-of-life interviews.

    Age and ageing·2026
    Same journal

    Are there sex differences in the influence of insomnia symptoms and sleep duration on the trajectory of neuromuscular strength decline?

    Age and ageing·2026
    Same journal

    Factors associated with mortality in older sepsis patients: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Germany.

    Age and ageing·2026
    Same journal

    Frailty phenotype transitions and functional improvements during a supervised exercise trial in older people with HIV: results from the HEALTH Trial.

    Age and ageing·2026
    Same journal

    Overlapping premorbid frailty, multimorbidity and malnutrition and their associations with poor outcomes in patients with stroke.

    Age and ageing·2026
    Same journal

    Overall and cause-specific mortality and associated risk factors among middle-aged and older South Africans: findings from the health and ageing in Africa: a longitudinal study of an INDEPTH community in rural South Africa (HAALSI).

    Age and ageing·2026
    See all related articles

    For acutely ill elderly medical patients, routine screening tests like full blood count and urea/electrolytes are valuable. However, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and liver function tests offer little benefit without specific clinical indications.

    Area of Science:

    • Geriatrics
    • Internal Medicine
    • Diagnostic Medicine

    Background:

    • Elderly patients admitted to hospital with acute illness often undergo numerous screening investigations.
    • The clinical utility of these routine screening tests in this specific demographic remains a subject of ongoing evaluation.
    • Identifying cost-effective and high-yield diagnostic approaches is crucial for optimizing patient care.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To assess the diagnostic value of commonly employed screening investigations in acutely ill elderly medical patients.
    • To determine which screening tests provide meaningful clinical information in the absence of specific indications.
    • To guide the judicious use of diagnostic resources in geriatric medical admissions.

    Main Methods:

    • Prospective evaluation of 50 consecutive admissions to a medical ward.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Standard screening investigations included: full blood count, ESR, urea and electrolyte estimation, liver function tests, thyroid function tests, urinalysis, and chest X-ray.
  • Tests performed without a clear clinical indication were classified as screening tests.

    • Main Results:

    • Full blood count, urea and electrolyte estimation, and urinalysis (performed on the ward) demonstrated significant utility.
    • A P-A chest X-ray examination was considered potentially worthwhile as a screening tool.
    • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), liver function tests, and mid-stream urine specimens showed limited value when used without clinical indication.

    Conclusions:

    • Selective use of screening investigations is recommended for acutely ill elderly medical patients.
    • Full blood count, urea/electrolytes, and ward urinalysis are valuable screening tools.
    • ESR, LFTs, and mid-stream urine analysis are less beneficial as general screening tests in this population without specific indications.