System and method for evaluating pretest probabilities of life-threatening diseases

#1. Field of Invention

#The present invention generally relates to a system and method for evaluating potentially fatal diseases and, more particularly, for determining the pretest probability and confidence interval that a patient has a potentially fatal disease.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#FIG. I is a flowchart of the method of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is an example of an electronic data form for use with the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a hypothetical determination of pretest probability according to the present invention.

#Although this description refers to a pulmonary embolism (PE) as the primary disease, the method and system of the present invention may be used to predict the pretest probability of other disorders, including but not limited to, acute coronary syndrome and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The invention will also be applied to evaluate the probability of certain life-threatening diagnoses or other clinical outcomes in patients with symptoms or complaints, including, anterior chest pain, headache, syncope, symptoms consistent with transient ischemic attack, fever, minor head injury, shortness of breath, seizure, altered mental status, abdominal pain, trauma, dizziness, weakness, high blood pressure, and low blood pressure.

#Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts through out, there is seen in FIG. 1 a flow chart of the method of present invention for determining a particular patient's pretest probability 10 for PE. Prior to starting the process for determining pretest probability 10 for a particular patient, however, it is necessary to create a reference database 20 containing clinical data for a sample population previously tested for PE which is then stored in reference database 30.

#The collection of reference data 40 for reference database 30 may be performed by a variety of conventional methods, such as entering the information from a patient's medical history directly into a computer database. Alternatively, the present invention contemplates the use of an electronic form 50 programmed as part of an application for use, for example, on a personal digital assistance (PDA).