title: Discrepancies between the medical record and the reports of patients with acute coronary syndrome regarding important aspects of the medical history.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many critical treatment decisions are based on the medical history of patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Discrepancies between the medical history documented by a health professional and the patient's own report may therefore have important health consequences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical histories of 117 patients with an ACS were documented. A questionnaire assessing the patient's health history was then completed by 62 eligible patients. Information about 13 health conditions with relevance to ACS management was obtained from the questionnaire and the medical record. Concordance between these two sources and reasons for discordance were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant variation in agreement, from very poor in angina (kappa < 0) to almost perfect in diabetes (kappa = 0.94). Agreement was substantial in cerebrovascular accident (kappa = 0.76) and hypertension (kappa = 0.73); moderate in cocaine use (kappa = 0.54), smoking (kappa = 0.46), kidney disease (kappa = 0.52) and congestive heart failure (kappa = 0.54); and fair in arrhythmia (kappa = 0.37), myocardial infarction (kappa = 0.31), other cardiovascular diseases (kappa = 0.37) and bronchitis/pneumonia (kappa = 0.31). The odds of agreement was 42% higher among individuals with at least some college education (OR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.00 - 2.01, p = 0.053). Listing of a condition in medical record but not in the questionnaire was a common cause of discordance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Discrepancies in aspects of the medical history may have important effects on the care of ACS patients. Future research focused on identifying the most effective and efficient means to obtain accurate health information may improve ACS patient care quality and safety.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Chete
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eze-Nliam
authors.forename: Kellie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: Kasey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forlenza
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magyar-Russell
authors.forename: Gayane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yenokyan
authors.forename: Roy C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ziegelstein
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires