title: [Diagnostic errors related with tuberculosis in hospitalized patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether diagnostic error could have been avoided for patients who were mistakenly hospitalized for tuberculosis (TB) when in fact TB was not present or who were mistakenly hospitalized for another disease when they in fact had TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, descriptive study examined the medical records of all patients admitted to the TB ward of Hospital San Juan de Dios (SJD) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia over a period of 28 consecutive months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four (9.8%) of the 650 patients admitted were diagnosed incorrectly. Upon admission, all relevant information was recorded in the medical histories of 10 patients (15.6%) and at the physical examination of 28 patients (43.8%). Taking of a full medical history, performing a complete physical examination, and correctly interpreting the chest film would have led to correct diagnosis for 34 patients (53.2%) and would have been suggestive for 23 (35.9%) more. Such information plus the results of a sputum smear examination could have established or ruled out the presence of TB for 32 patients (50.0%) and suggested the appropriate diagnosis in another 27 patients (42%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The careful use of basic diagnostic tools could prevent serious clinical errors related to TB before such patients are admitted to a specialized ward.
authors: Asociación Catalana para la Prevención y Tratamiento de la Tuberculosis en el Tercer Mundo (ACTMON), Barcelona.
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Ollé Goig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D017253:Neurofibromatoses / Q000175:diagnosis; D010808:Physical Examination; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000175:diagnosis