Page 706 - 16Neonatal Jaundice_compressed

Neonatal jaundice

Decision tree A decision tree is a method for helping people to make better
decisions in situations of uncertainty. It illustrates the decision as a
succession of possible actions and outcomes. It consists of the
probabilities, costs and health consequences associated with each
option. The overall effectiveness or overall cost-effectiveness of
different actions can then be compared.
Declaration of interest A process by which members of a working group or committee
‘declare’ any personal or professional involvement with a company
(or related to a technology) that might affect their objectivity e.g. if
their position or department is funded by a pharmaceutical company.
Diagnostic study A study to assess the effectiveness of a test or measurement in terms
of its ability to accurately detect or exclude a specific disease.
Direct Antiglobulin Test (DAT) Also known as the direct Coombs’ test; this test is used to detect
antibodies or complement proteins that are bound to the surface of
red blood cells; a blood sample is taken and the RBCs are washed
(removing the patient's own plasma) and then incubated with
antihuman globulin (also known as ‘Coombs’ reagent’). If this
produces agglutination of RBCs, the direct Coombs’ test is positive, a
visual indication that antibodies (and/or complement proteins) are
bound to the surface of red blood cells.
Direct bilirubin See Conjugated bilirubin
Double blind study A study in which neither the subject (patient) nor the observer
(investigator/clinician) is aware of which treatment or intervention the
subject is receiving. The purpose of blinding is to protect against bias.
Economic evaluation A comparison of alternative courses of action in terms of both their
costs and consequences. In health economic evaluations the
consequences should include health outcomes.
Effectiveness See Clinical effectiveness.
Efficacy The extent to which a specific treatment or intervention, under
ideally controlled conditions (e.g. in a laboratory), has a beneficial
effect on the course or outcome of disease compared to no treatment
or other routine care.
Empirical Based directly on experience (observation or experiment) rather than
on reasoning alone.
End-tidal carbon monoxide The concentration of carbon monoxide at the end of an expired breath.
concentration
Enteral Enteral refers to any form of administered treatment or food that
involves the gastrointestinal tract:
● by mouth (orally), many drugs as tablets, capsules, or drops
● by gastric feeding tube, duodenal feeding tube, or gastrostomy
Entero-hepatic circulation of bilirubin The uptake of bilirubin into the blood from bowel contents
Epidemiology Study of diseases within a population, covering the causes and means
of prevention.
Evidence based The process of systematically finding, appraising, and using research
findings as the basis for clinical decisions.
Evidence based clinical practice Evidence based clinical practice involves making decisions about the
care of individual patients based on the best research evidence
available rather than basing decisions on personal opinions or
common practice (which may not always be evidence based).
Evidence based clinical practice therefore involves integrating
individual clinical expertise and patient preferences with the best
available evidence from research.

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