RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research approach- Quantitative approach
Research Design: Prospective observational cohort
research design
Research Variables: Diagnostic accuracy of combination
of HEART pathway and 0-hr/1-hr hs-cTn protocol
Setting: Emergency department of AIIMS New Delhi.
AIIMS is a tertiary care center with an average annual ED visit of more than
one lakh.
Population: Acute chest pain patients presenting
to the emergency department.
Sample and Sampling technique:
Sample will be selected through purposive
sampling technique.
Sample size calculation
Sample size n =
[DEFF*Np(1-p)]/ [(d2/Z21-α/2*(N-1)+p*(1-p)]
Population size(for finite population correction factor or
fpc)(N): 1000000
Hypothesized % frequency of outcome factor in the population
(p): 30%+/-5
Confidence limits as % of 100(absolute +/- %)(d): 5%
Design effect (for cluster surveys-DEFF): 1
At 95%
confidence level the calculated sample size is 323. By considering attrition of
participants in follow-up, a total 350 chest pain patients will be enrolled in
the study.
Data collection process
·
After
taking formal permission to conduct the study, data for the study will be
collected from December 2022- August 2023.
·
Check
the eligibility of acute chest pain patients to enroll into study based on the
eligibility criteria.
·
Informed
written consent will be taken from the eligible participants.
·
Along
with the routine medical history, physical examination and routine
investigations, two venous blood samples will be collected at 0hr in yellow
color serum tube and purple color EDTA tube.
·
EDTA
tube will send to point of care laboratory situated inside the emergency
department for checking cardiac troponin I. Where cardiac troponin I will be
checked by using AQT90 FLEX immunoassay analyzer, which has limit of
detection(LoD) of 0.010 mcg/L and upper reference limit (URL) of 0.023mcg/L.
·
Serum
tube will send to smart lab situated in the new RAK OPD block for checking
Hs-cTnT, where sample will be centrifuged and Hs-cTnT measurement will be performed with the Elecsys
high-sensitivity Troponin T assay on the cobas e801 system (Roche Diagnostics,
Basel,Switzerland), which has a limit of detection of 5 ng/L and upper reference limit (URL) of 14ng/L.
·
Another
sample will take in serum tube at 1hr of arrival to check Hs-cTnT.
·
Rule
in, rule out and observation patients are identified by using ESC Hs-cTn 0h/1h
algorithm.
·
Two
HEART score will be calculated by using 0hr Hs-cTnT and 0hr point of care cTnI
values. HEAR components will be calculated based on the medical history and ECG
findings of the patient and will be same for both HEART scores.
·
MACE
will be assessed for the index ED visit and patients will be followed up to 1
month for checking MACE at 1 month.
