Non-specific complaints at emergency department presentation result in unclear diagnoses and lengthened hospitalization: a prospective observational study

Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
Thomas C SauterWolf E Hautz

Abstract

Up to 20% of patients admitted to an emergency department present with non-specific complaints. Retrospective studies suggest an increased risk of misdiagnosis and hospital admission for these patients, but prospective comparisons of the outcomes of emergency patients with non-specific complaints versus specific complaints are lacking. All consecutive patients ≥18 years of age admitted to any internal medicine ward at Bern University Hospital via the emergency department from August 15th 2015 to December 7th 2015 were prospectively included and followed up upon. Patients with non-specific complaints were compared against those with specific complaints regarding the quality of their emergency department diagnosis, length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality. Seven hundred and-eleven patients, 165 (23.21%) with non-specific complaints and 546 with specific complaints, were included in this study. No differences between patient groups regarding age, gender or initial severity of the medical problem (deducted from triage category and treatment in a resuscitation bay) were found. Patients with non-specific complaints received more unspecific diagnoses (30.3% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.001, OR = 1.82 [95% CI 1.159-2.899]), were hospitali...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 13, 2019·The International Journal of Health Planning and Management·Ingela WennmanAmir Khorram-Manesh
Dec 20, 2019·Academic Emergency Medicine : Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine·Alfred Z WangBenton R Hunter
Jan 24, 2020·Academic Medicine : Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges·Sílvia MamedeHenk G Schmidt
Mar 20, 2019·Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine·Stine T ZwislerSøren Mikkelsen
Jan 22, 2020·MMW Fortschritte der Medizin·Johann Michael Sailer, Markus Bleckwenn
Jul 31, 2020·Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine·Robert IvicKatarina Bohm
May 10, 2019·Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine·Wolf E HautzStefan K Schauber
Jan 30, 2020·Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine·Kirsi KempMaaret Castren
Nov 13, 2020·Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine·Roland Bingisser, Christian H Nickel
Jul 8, 2021·Medicina clínica·Pere TudelaAnna Carreres
Aug 23, 2021·The American Journal of Emergency Medicine·Joo Yeon MyoungYoon Hee Choi

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