Triage of the child with abdominal pain: A clinical algorithm for emergency patient management.

OBJECTIVE

To create a simplified clinical algorithm for the triage of children with abdominal pain.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis.

METHODS

Emergency room at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario.

METHODS

A data mining methodology (rough sets analysis) was applied to a randomized data set obtained from 175 emergency room admission charts of patients. Patients were placed into two diagnostic decision classes: appendicitis confirmed by a pathological report, and resolution (this classification implied the resolution of all clinical complaints and physical findings, with no pathological diagnosis and no operative procedure).

RESULTS

Nine clinical symptoms and signs were identified as being important in the management of children with abdominal pain. A clinically based algorithm for the triage of such children was developed.

CONCLUSIONS

It is possible to develop a clinical algorithm for the triage of children with abdominal pain that can also be used by nonmedical professionals. A template for such an algorithm can be used as the basis for diagnosing other paediatric emergencies, such as chest pain, headaches and joint pain.