Document Detail


Patients with shoulder complaints in general practice: consumption of medical care.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21047806     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Data-Review    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Objective. To describe the medical consumption [general practitioner (GP) consultation, referrals, medication consumption] of patients with shoulder complaints in general practice. Methods. Data were obtained from a primary-care medical registration network. All patients aged ≥18 years with new shoulder complaints who consulted their general practitioner in 1998 were included, and were followed 10 years beyond the initial consultation. Results. A total of 526 incident cases were identified (average age 47 years, 65% women and average follow-up 7.6 years). Nearly half of the patients consulted their GP only once. For 79% of those patients, a wait-and-see policy or a prescription for NSAIDs sufficed. During follow-up, 65% of all patients were prescribed medication. Medication consumption was significantly higher among men than women, and higher for the 45- to 64-year age group compared with the younger group. A total of 199 patients were referred, of which 84% was to a physiotherapist and 16% to secondary care. Only two patients had surgery, performed by an orthopaedic surgeon. The GP recorded a diagnosis in only 14% of patients; rotator cuff disorder being the most common. Conclusions. Nearly half of patients with a new shoulder complaint consult their GP only once. Medical consumption in general practice is highest for male shoulder patients and the 45- to 64-year age group. Shoulder problems are mainly an issue for primary care.
Authors:
Oscar Dorrestijn; Kim Greving; Willem Jan van der Veen; Klaas van der Meer; Ron L Diercks; Jan C Winters; Martin Stevens
Related Documents :
15031706 - A case manager's perspective of patient transport.
7723966 - Stereotactic ventral pallidotomy for parkinson's disease.
19954266 - An exploratory comparison of medication lists at hospital admission with administrative...
12713066 - Predictive factors and selection of thymidine analogue mutations by nucleoside reverse ...
7897776 - Continuing medical education interests of canadian otolaryngologists.
6023146 - A standardized procedure for echoencephalography and for analyzing echoencephalograms.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-11-02
Journal Detail:
Title:  Rheumatology (Oxford, England)     Volume:  50     ISSN:  1462-0332     ISO Abbreviation:  Rheumatology (Oxford)     Publication Date:  2011 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-01-18     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  100883501     Medline TA:  Rheumatology (Oxford)     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  389-95     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. o.dorrestijn@orth.umcg.nl.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Cytokine pattern in very early rheumatoid arthritis favours B-cell activation and survival.
Next Document:  The impact of a jointly staffed clinic on the diagnosis of lung involvement and connective tissue di...