VAgue Medical Problems In REsearch (VAMPIRE): Blood test ordering for unexplained complaints in general practice.
Completed
- Conditions
- nexplained complaintsMental and Behavioural DisordersSomatoform disorders
- Registration Number
- ISRCTN55755886
- Lead Sponsor
- Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI) (Netherlands)
- Brief Summary
Not available
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- Completed
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 5000
Inclusion Criteria
1. Patients of 18 years and above with:
1.1. Unexplained fatigue
1.2. Abdominal complaints
1.3. Musculoskeletal complaints
1.4. Weight changes
1.5. Itching
2. Patients have not contacted their GPs for the last six months with the same complaints
3. Patients able to speak, read and write Dutch
Exclusion Criteria
The GP is worried that the patient has got serious pathology that makes watchful waiting unacceptable.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method 1. Accuracy of blood tests for serious pathology (per test and in combinations relevant for general practice), related and in addition to signs and symptoms, at the moment of presentation and after postponing test ordering for four weeks<br>2. Adherence of GPs to instruction either to order blood tests directly or after a watchful waiting policy of four weeks
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method 1. Incidence of unexplained complaints in general practice<br>2. Predictive value of GPs' working hypothesis<br>3. Duration of unexplained complaints<br>4. Effect of unexplained complaints on quality of life of patients<br>5. Effect of direct testing or watchful waiting on satisfaction with care, anxiety, medical consumption and absence from work of patients<br>6. Effect of direct testing or watchful waiting on satisfaction, anxiety and insecurity of GPs<br>7. Effect of quality improvement intervention on knowledge about the value of blood test ordering in unexplained complaints, communication skills and attitudes of GPs<br>8. Barriers to and facilitators of proposing a watchful waiting strategy by GPs<br>9. Costs of the quality improvement intervention