FILTR Study - Field triage tool for ruptured aneurysms
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Prospective Observational Study of the Diagnostic Accuracy of an Ambulance triage Tool for Ruptured Aortic Aneurysms
IRAS ID
138078
Contact name
Alan Karthikesalingam
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St George's NHS Healthcare Trust
Research summary
An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a diseased weakening of the body’s largest artery and is a significant health problem accounting for 8000 deaths/year in the UK.
Aneurysm rupture (rAAA) is fatal without surgery, and surgery itself is high-risk. For patients with rAAA, swift transport to specialist care is vital. Unfortunately 41% of rAAA are initially misdiagnosed. This introduces potentially harmful delay before patients are given definitive care. We have designed a simple software score that improves diagnostic accuracy for rAAA to 83%. Our software score uses 10 basic parameters such as age, gender, and blood pressure to predict how likely it is that the patient is suffering from a ruptured aneurysm based on their symptoms. We have incorporated this score into smartphone software for paramedics to use. the software requires propsective observational study in order to confirm its validity and obtain feedback on its clinical feasibility.
This initial study WILL NOT affect patient transfers,it is merely designed to test the software and to see how accurate its predictions would have been had been utilised.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/0123
Date of REC Opinion
19 Feb 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion