title: Infectious diseases detected at autopsy at an urban public hospital, 1996-2001.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated significant discrepancy rates between clinical and autopsy diagnoses. However, infectious diseases have not received emphasis in these studies. We conducted a study to determine whether the clinical and autopsy diagnoses of infectious diseases are concordant or discrepant and to determine discrepancy rates. Retrospective reviews of the records of 276 patients (adults, 182; fetuses and neonates, 94) who underwent autopsy during the years 1996 through 2001 were performed. Comparison of clinical and autopsy diagnoses was performed using the Goldman classification scheme. Of 182 adult patients, 137 (75.3%) had an infectious disease at autopsy. In 59 (43.1%) of 137 patients, the infectious disease diagnoses were unknown clinically. Of 94 fetuses and neonates, 45 (48%) had an infectious disease at autopsy. In 26 (58%) of 45 patients, the infectious disease diagnoses were unknown before death. There are substantial discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses of infectious diseases. In adults, acute bronchopneumonia is the infectious disease most often missed clinically; in fetuses and neonates, it is acute chorioamnionitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services, Denver Health Medical Center, Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, USA.
authors.forename: Lian A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bonds
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaido
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D001996:Bronchopneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014505:Urban Population; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis