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TACTILE : Validation of a Teleconsultation-Based Predictive Score for the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis in Children Using Artificial Intelligence Methods
Sponsor: University Hospital, Angers
Summary
Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency in children and a frequent cause of pediatric emergency department visits. Diagnosis may be challenging due to variable clinical presentations and overlapping symptoms with other causes of abdominal pain. The increasing use of telemedicine further limits access to direct physical examination. This study aims to evaluate and validate a predictive clinical score designed for teleconsultation to estimate the probability of acute appendicitis in children. The score is based on symptom history and simple clinical signs assessed remotely with the assistance of a parenton a 10 item checklist. During an emergency visit for acute abdominal pain, voluntary children aged 3 to 16 years and their parents will be guided by a medical student through the checklist in conditions simulating a teleconsultation. The score will be recorded for research purposes only and will not influence clinical management. All participants will subsequently undergo standard medical evaluation and management by an emergency physician, who will independently assess the probability of acute appendicitis based on routine clinical practice. The diagnostic performance of the simulated teleconsultation will then be evaluated using advanced statistical and artificial intelligence-based methods and compared with standard in-person pediatric emergency consultation.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
3 Years - 16 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
1500
Start Date
2026-06
Completion Date
2029-06
Last Updated
2026-03-18
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Score-based appendicitis risk classification in teleconsultation
Medical students will use a diagnostic grid of 10 items (3 medical interview items and 7 clinical examination items) rated each from 0 to 2 when receiving children with abdominal pain in emergency room. As in teleconsultation, parents will be asked to follow and execute instructions (delivered by medical students). A diagnostic score will be established for each patient. After these procedures, children will receive standard care provided by emergency physicians
Locations (1)
Angers, University Hospital
Angers, France