Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Typhoid fever diagnosis is challenging for clinicians in areas with limited laboratory facilities. Scoring methods based on signs and symptoms are useful for screening for probable cases of typhoid fever. The Nelwan Score variables are derived from the clinical signs...

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Main Authors: Erni Juwita Nelwan, Luh Putu Listya Paramita, Robert Sinto, Decy Subekti, Fransiscus Nikodemus Hosea, Pringgodigdo Nugroho, Herdiman T Pohan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256508
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author Erni Juwita Nelwan
Luh Putu Listya Paramita
Robert Sinto
Decy Subekti
Fransiscus Nikodemus Hosea
Pringgodigdo Nugroho
Herdiman T Pohan
author_facet Erni Juwita Nelwan
Luh Putu Listya Paramita
Robert Sinto
Decy Subekti
Fransiscus Nikodemus Hosea
Pringgodigdo Nugroho
Herdiman T Pohan
author_sort Erni Juwita Nelwan
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Typhoid fever diagnosis is challenging for clinicians in areas with limited laboratory facilities. Scoring methods based on signs and symptoms are useful for screening for probable cases of typhoid fever. The Nelwan Score variables are derived from the clinical signs and symptoms of patients with suspected typhoid. We validated the Nelwan Score compared to laboratory tests as the gold standard.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2017 and January 2018 in five hospitals and two primary health care centers in Jakarta and Tangerang, Indonesia. Patients with fever for 3-14 days and gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using the Nelwan Score. Blood cultures, samples for polymerase chain reaction testing, and additional rectal swab cultures were collected simultaneously to confirm the diagnosis of typhoid. Data were analyzed using a contingency table to measure sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), and the optimal cut-off of the Nelwan Score for typhoid diagnosis was determined using a receiver-operating characteristic curve.<h4>Result</h4>Typhoid was confirmed in 11 of the 233 patients (4.7%) with suspected typhoid. Among laboratory-confirmed typhoid cases, the median Nelwan Score was 11 (range: 9-13) and the optimal cut-off value was 10, with an area under the curve of 71.3%, sensitivity of 81.8%, specificity of 60.8%, PPV of 9.3%, and NPV of 98.5%.<h4>Conclusion</h4>A Nelwan Score of 10 is the best cut-off value for screening for typhoid fever. It is useful as screening tool for typhoid fever, where laboratory resources are limited, and could help to decrease irrational antibiotic use.
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spelling doaj.art-2e054194dd3b43adb55244d19937a3b72023-06-07T05:32:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01185e025650810.1371/journal.pone.0256508Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.Erni Juwita NelwanLuh Putu Listya ParamitaRobert SintoDecy SubektiFransiscus Nikodemus HoseaPringgodigdo NugrohoHerdiman T Pohan<h4>Introduction</h4>Typhoid fever diagnosis is challenging for clinicians in areas with limited laboratory facilities. Scoring methods based on signs and symptoms are useful for screening for probable cases of typhoid fever. The Nelwan Score variables are derived from the clinical signs and symptoms of patients with suspected typhoid. We validated the Nelwan Score compared to laboratory tests as the gold standard.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2017 and January 2018 in five hospitals and two primary health care centers in Jakarta and Tangerang, Indonesia. Patients with fever for 3-14 days and gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using the Nelwan Score. Blood cultures, samples for polymerase chain reaction testing, and additional rectal swab cultures were collected simultaneously to confirm the diagnosis of typhoid. Data were analyzed using a contingency table to measure sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), and the optimal cut-off of the Nelwan Score for typhoid diagnosis was determined using a receiver-operating characteristic curve.<h4>Result</h4>Typhoid was confirmed in 11 of the 233 patients (4.7%) with suspected typhoid. Among laboratory-confirmed typhoid cases, the median Nelwan Score was 11 (range: 9-13) and the optimal cut-off value was 10, with an area under the curve of 71.3%, sensitivity of 81.8%, specificity of 60.8%, PPV of 9.3%, and NPV of 98.5%.<h4>Conclusion</h4>A Nelwan Score of 10 is the best cut-off value for screening for typhoid fever. It is useful as screening tool for typhoid fever, where laboratory resources are limited, and could help to decrease irrational antibiotic use.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256508
spellingShingle Erni Juwita Nelwan
Luh Putu Listya Paramita
Robert Sinto
Decy Subekti
Fransiscus Nikodemus Hosea
Pringgodigdo Nugroho
Herdiman T Pohan
Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.
PLoS ONE
title Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.
title_full Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.
title_fullStr Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.
title_full_unstemmed Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.
title_short Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.
title_sort validation of the nelwan score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in indonesia
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256508
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