Structured Abstract

Contents

• 1. Introduction
  • Scope and Purpose
  • Condition Definition
  • Prevalence and Burden
  • Etiology and Natural History
  • Rationale for Screening and Screening Strategies
  • Treatment Approaches
  • Current Clinical Practice in the United States
  • Previous USPSTF Recommendation
• 2. Methods
  • Key Questions and Analytic Framework
  • Data Sources and Searches
  • Study Selection
  • Quality Assessment and Data Abstraction
  • Data Synthesis and Analysis
  • Expert Review and Public Comment
  • USPSTF Involvement
• 3. Results
  • Literature Search
  • Results of Included Studies
• 4. Discussion
  • Summary of Evidence
  • Future Research Needs
  • Response to Public Comment
  • Conclusion
• References
• Appendix A Summary of Recommendations From Other Groups
• Appendix B Detailed Methods
• Appendix C Excluded Studies
• Appendix D Quality Assessment of Included Studies
• Appendix E Additional Results
• Appendix F Results of Meta-Analyses

Acknowledgments: The authors gratefully acknowledge the following individuals for their contributions to this project and deeply appreciate their considerable support, commitment, and contributions: Tracy Wolff, MD, MPH, AHRQ Medical Officer; Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, Jessica Herzstein, MD, MPH, and Michael LeFevre, MD, MSPH, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force leads; Evelyn Whitlock, MD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates EPC director; Tracy Beil, MS, Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates EPC; RTI International–University of North Carolina EPC staff: Carol Woodell, BSPH, project manager; Meera Viswanathan, PhD, EPC director; Christiane Voisin, MSLS, librarian; Laura Small, BA, editor; and Loraine Monroe, publications specialist.

Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services¹, Contract No. HHSA-290-2012-00015-I, Task Order No. 2. Prepared by: RTI International–University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center, Research Triangle Park, NC

Suggested citation:

Jonas DE, Feltner C, Amick HR, Sheridan S, Zheng ZJ, Watford DJ, et al. Screening for Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No. 111. AHRQ Publication No. 13-05178-EF-1. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2014.

This report is based on research conducted by the RTI International–University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. HHSA-290-2012-00015-I, Task Order No. 2). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well-informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

None of the investigators has any affiliations or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report.

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