Signs and symptoms not helpful in diagnosis of AMI/ACS
Clinical Question
How well does the history and physical perform in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndromes?
Bottom Line
In patients with chest pain, the history and physical is not very helpful in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or acute coronary syndromes (ACS). In patients for whom the clinical suspicion of AMI or ACS is low, the presence of chest wall tenderness rules them out. (LOE = 2a)
Reference
Bruyninckx R, Aertgeerts B, Bruyninckx P, Buntinx F. Signs and symptoms in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndrome: a diagnostic meta-analysis. Br J Gen Pract 2008;58(547):105-111. [PMID:18307844]
Study Design
Meta-analysis (other)
Funding
Unknown/not stated
Setting
Various (meta-analysis)
Synopsis
These authors searched multiple databases and bibliographies and contacted experts to find studies that assessed the diagnostic value of the following symptoms and signs in identifying patients with AMI or ACS: radiating pain; oppressive pain; nausea and/or vomiting; diaphoresis; and absence of chest wall tenderness on palpation. The authors provided no justification for why these symptoms and signs were chosen. Two reviewers independently screened the titles of potential articles and a third reviewer resolved any disagreements that occurred. The authors assessed each study's methodologic quality. They found 16 studies of unselected patients (for the lowest likelihood of being biased toward more severe cases or those with a higher likelihood of having AMI or ACS). Since the gold standard used in many of the studies also included elements from the history, the diagnostic value will be exaggerated. In spite of this biasing effect, the history and physical was nearly useless, with one exception. The presence of chest wall tenderness was very good at ruling out AMI or ACS in patients in whom the clinical suspicion was low.
Citation
Barry, Henry, et al., editors. "Signs and Symptoms Not Helpful in Diagnosis of AMI/ACS." EE+ POEM Archive, John Wiley & Sons, 2024. Evidence Central, evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426792/all/Signs_and_symptoms_not_helpful_in_diagnosis_of_AMI_ACS.
Signs and symptoms not helpful in diagnosis of AMI/ACS. In: Barry HH, Ebell MHM, Shaughnessy AFA, et al, eds. EE+ POEM Archive. John Wiley & Sons; 2024. https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426792/all/Signs_and_symptoms_not_helpful_in_diagnosis_of_AMI_ACS. Accessed December 8, 2024.
Signs and symptoms not helpful in diagnosis of AMI/ACS. (2024). In Barry, H., Ebell, M. H., Shaughnessy, A. F., & Slawson, D. C. (Eds.), EE+ POEM Archive. John Wiley & Sons. https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426792/all/Signs_and_symptoms_not_helpful_in_diagnosis_of_AMI_ACS
Signs and Symptoms Not Helpful in Diagnosis of AMI/ACS [Internet]. In: Barry HH, Ebell MHM, Shaughnessy AFA, Slawson DCD, editors. EE+ POEM Archive. John Wiley & Sons; 2024. [cited 2024 December 08]. Available from: https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426792/all/Signs_and_symptoms_not_helpful_in_diagnosis_of_AMI_ACS.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Signs and symptoms not helpful in diagnosis of AMI/ACS
ID - 426792
ED - Barry,Henry,
ED - Ebell,Mark H,
ED - Shaughnessy,Allen F,
ED - Slawson,David C,
BT - EE+ POEM Archive
UR - https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426792/all/Signs_and_symptoms_not_helpful_in_diagnosis_of_AMI_ACS
PB - John Wiley & Sons
DB - Evidence Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -