Discrepâncias clínico-patológicas e achados cardiovasculares em 409 autópsias consecutivas / Clinical and pathological discrepancies and cardiovascular findings in 409 consecutive autopsies

FUNDAMENTO: As discrepâncias entre os diagnósticos clínicos e em autópsia persistem em todo o mundo. OBJETIVO: Avaliamos as autópsias em um hospital-escola para analisar a precisão dos diagnósticos cardiovasculares clínicos em comparação aos achados post-mortem. MÉTODOS: As 409 autópsias consecutivas entre 2003 e 2006 foram analisadas em um hospital terciário de São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo (SP), Brasil. A comparação dos achados cardiovasculares clínicos e patológicos foi realizada por meio da classificação de discrepâncias de Goldman. RESULTADOS: A taxa de autópsia no hospital foi de 8 por cento. As causas cardiovasculares de óbito representavam 42,8 por cento (175 de 409 pacientes) dos diagnósticos de autópsia. Em 98 pacientes (56 por cento), houve discrepâncias significativas (classes I e II), o que representa uma grande proporção de diagnósticos equivocados de infarto mesentérico (84,6 por cento), infarto agudo do miocárdio (64,7 por cento), dissecção da aorta (64,2 por cento) e embolia pulmonar (62,5 por cento). Foram observadas maiores taxas de concordância para a insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (59 por cento) e para o acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico agudo (58,8 por cento). A idade, o sexo, o tempo de permanência e a última unidade de admissão no hospital não foram associados aos critérios de Goldman. CONCLUSÃO: As discrepâncias dos diagnósticos clínicos e em autópsia relativos à morte cardiovascular permanecem elevados no Brasil, a despeito dos recursos tecnológicos disponíveis. Além disso, nossos achados reforçam a importância do exame post-mortem como uma contribuição para a melhoria da assistência médica.

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses persists worldwide. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated autopsies in a university hospital in order to assess the accuracy of clinical cardiovascular diagnosis compared to postmortem findings. METHODS: Four hundred nine consecutive autopsies between 2003 and 2006 were analyzed in a tertiary-care hospital in São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil. The comparison of clinic-pathological cardiovascular findings was performed using Goldman's discrepancies classification. RESULTS: Autopsy rate at the hospital was 8 percent. Cardiovascular causes of death represented 42.8 percent (175 out of 409 patients) of autopsy diagnoses. In 98 (56 percent) patients, there were major discrepancies (class I and II), representing a large proportion of misdiagnoses for mesenteric infarction (84.6 percent), acute myocardial infarction (64.7 percent), aorta dissection (64.2 percent), and pulmonary embolism (62.5 percent). Highest concordance rates were observed in congestive heart failure (59 percent) and acute ischemic stroke (58.8 percent). Age, sex, length of stay and the last admission unit at the hospital were not associated with Goldman criteria. CONCLUSION: Clinic-autopsy discrepancies concerning cardiovascular death remain high in Brazil, despite technological resources available. Moreover, our findings reinforce the importance of postmortem examination in contributing to medical care improvement.

Clinical and pathological discrepancies and cardiovascular findings in 409 consecutive autopsies.

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses persists worldwide. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated autopsies in a university hospital in order to assess the accuracy of clinical cardiovascular diagnosis compared to postmortem findings. METHODS: Four hundred nine consecutive autopsies between 2003 and 2006 were analyzed in a tertiary-care hospital in São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil. The comparison of clinic-pathological cardiovascular findings was performed using Goldman's discrepancies classification. RESULTS: Autopsy rate at the hospital was 8%. Cardiovascular causes of death represented 42.8% (175 out of 409 patients) of autopsy diagnoses. In 98 (56%) patients, there were major discrepancies (class I and II), representing a large proportion of misdiagnoses for mesenteric infarction (84.6%), acute myocardial infarction (64.7%), aorta dissection (64.2%), and pulmonary embolism (62.5%). Highest concordance rates were observed in congestive heart failure (59%) and acute ischemic stroke (58.8%). Age, sex, length of stay and the last admission unit at the hospital were not associated with Goldman criteria. CONCLUSION: Clinic-autopsy discrepancies concerning cardiovascular death remain high in Brazil, despite technological resources available. Moreover, our findings reinforce the importance of postmortem examination in contributing to medical care improvement.