Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40851745›Full record

ArticleCureus2025

Retrospective Analysis of Atypical Chest Pain Presentations in Older Adults and Their Association With Missed Acute Coronary Syndrome Diagnosis in the Emergency Department: National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)-Based Study.

Lambi Jervis Somo, Okelue E Okobi, Amarachi Asomugha-Okwara, Kimberly Osias, Peace O Mordi, Edidiong Enyeneokpon, Paul O Etakewen, Cynthia Okoro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Lambi Jervis SomoInternal Medicine, Mbingo Baptist Hospital/Christian Internal Medicine Specialization, Bamenda, CMR.
Okelue E OkobiFamily Medicine, Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs Campus, Miami, USA.
Amarachi Asomugha-OkwaraSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CAN.
Kimberly OsiasFamily Medicine, Université Notre Dame D'Haiti, Port-au-Prince, HTI.
Peace O MordiFamily Medicine, Benton Medical Clinic, Kitchener, CAN.
Edidiong EnyeneokponAcute Medicine, Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, GBR.
Paul O EtakewenEmergency Medicine, Milton Keynes University Hospital, Milton Keynes, GBR.
Cynthia OkoroFamily Medicine, Richmond Gabriel University, Arnos Vale, VCT.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background Atypical symptom presentations of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) are common in older adults and may contribute to diagnostic delays or missed recognition in emergency departments (EDs). National-level data examining this relationship remains limited. Objective To evaluate whether atypical chest pain presentations are associated with reduced likelihood of ACS diagnosis among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older during ED visits. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) from 2014 to 2020. ED visits by adults aged ≥65 years were analyzed. Atypical presentations were defined using Reason for Visit (RFV) codes for symptoms such as weakness, dyspnea, dizziness, nausea, syncope, and abdominal pain. The primary outcome was an ED diagnosis of ACS based on ICD-9-CM codes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations. Results Among 2,470 eligible ED visits, only 15 (0.6%) were diagnosed with ACS. Of those, 7 (46.7%) presented with atypical symptoms. Atypical presentation was not significantly associated with ACS diagnosis (OR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.32-2.49; p = 0.83). No significant associations were found with age, sex, race/ethnicity, or ED disposition. The variable "admitted to hospital from ED" was excluded due to collinearity. Conclusion Nearly half of older adults diagnosed with ACS presented atypically, yet atypical presentation was not significantly associated with missed ACS diagnosis in the ED. Given the limitations of administrative data and low ACS event rates, future research using richer clinical datasets and follow-up outcomes is needed to better understand diagnostic gaps in this high-risk population.

Indexed as

acute coronary syndromeatypical chest painemergency departmentmissed diagnosisolder adults

Identifiers

PMID40851745
PMCPMC12368920

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.