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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Dec;50(12):1971-1982.
doi: 10.1007/s00134-024-07641-y. Epub 2024 Sep 17.

Clinical vs. autopsy diagnostic discrepancies in the intensive care unit: a systematic review and meta-analysis of autopsy series

Britt Marcoen  1 , Koenraad H Blot  2 , Dirk Vogelaers  1   3 , Stijn Blot  4   5
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Clinical vs. autopsy diagnostic discrepancies in the intensive care unit: a systematic review and meta-analysis of autopsy series

Britt Marcoen et al. Intensive Care Med. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess whether there is a discrepancy between clinical and autopsy-based diagnoses in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of cohort studies reporting on conventional autopsy-confirmed missed diagnoses. The discrepancy rate was per study calculated by dividing the number of patients with a missed diagnosis by the number of autopsies. Missed diagnoses were classified according to the Goldman classification as 'major' and 'minor' with major missed diagnoses further differentiated into Class I missed diagnoses (i.e., diagnoses that may have altered therapy or survival) and Class II missed diagnoses (i.e., diagnoses that would not have altered therapy or survival). Class I missed diagnoses constitute the primary outcome of interest. Pooled estimates for discrepancy rates (95% confidence intervals) were calculated using a mixed-effects logistic regression model with 'study' as random effect. Meta-regression was used to assess relationships between major discrepancy rates and autopsy rates, start year of study, and ICU type.

Results: Forty-two studies were identified totaling 6305 analyzed autopsies and 1759 patients with missed diagnoses. The pooled discrepancy rates for Class I and major missed diagnoses were 6.5% (5-8.5) and 19.3% (15.3-24), respectively. Meta-regression analysis revealed that autopsy rate was inversely associated with discrepancy rate. Class I discrepancy rates did not change over time. Burn and trauma ICUs had lower discrepancy rates as compared to medical ICUs, possibly because of higher autopsy rates.

Conclusions: Missed diagnoses remain common in ICUs. A higher autopsy rate does not reveal more major diagnostic errors. These data support a clinically driven autopsy policy rather than a systematic autopsy policy.

Keywords: Autopsy; Diagnostic discrepancies; ICU; Intensive care unit; Missed diagnoses.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflicts of interest: None of the authors has a conflict of interest to disclose.

References

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