The OMGE acute abdominal pain survey. Progress report, 1986.

By 1986 the central analysis team of this on-going multinational survey had received a total of 10,682 cases for analysis and had accepted 10,320. In all, some 26 centres in 17 countries, involving over 200 doctors, had participated in this survey. A common protocol was used for data collection; around 98% of all possible data was recorded (using precirculated definitions) and analysed via a computer-aided system in Leeds, England. The construction and format of a series of computer-aided decision-support and teaching programs has been described in an earlier (1982) report. These programs are currently available/in use in 10 countries. The present report concentrates upon an update of current material collated for the survey, some demographic trends, and special subreports (as with IBD survey) concerning acute abdominal pain in children and elderly patients, together with some preliminary data on the value of leucocyte count in patients with suspected appendicitis.