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Published on: March 12, 2018
Autopsy material analysis at the Cardiology Clinic in 1999
N Cemerlić-Adić1, M Vindis-Jesić, O Adić
1Institut za kardivaskurne bolesti, 21204 Sremska Kamenica, Institutski put 4.
Insights
Autopsy reviews revealed that clinical diagnoses of the principal disease and cause of death in cardiology patients had moderate agreement with pathological findings. This highlights the need for accurate clinico-pathological correlation in medical practice.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Pathology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Clinico-pathological studies are crucial for medical practice.
- Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective patient care and understanding disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To correlate clinical diagnoses with autopsy findings for principal disease and cause of death.
- To evaluate the accuracy of clinical diagnoses in a cardiology setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical histories and autopsy reports.
- Comparison of clinical diagnoses with principal disease and cause of death determined by autopsy.
- Calculation of concordance rates and correlation coefficients.
Main Results:
- Autopsy was performed in 28% of 255 deaths; 73% of autopsied cases had cardiac causes of death, primarily atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
- Concordance between clinical and autopsy diagnoses for principal disease was 86-87.5% (correlation coefficient 0.48).
- Concordance for cause of death was 53 patients (correlation coefficient 0.26).
Conclusions:
- Moderate agreement exists between clinical diagnoses and autopsy findings for principal disease and cause of death in cardiology patients.
- Clinico-pathological correlation is valuable for refining diagnostic accuracy and improving patient outcomes.
- Further studies may explore reasons for diagnostic discrepancies.
Abstract:
Clinico-pathological studies serve as a valuable source of information in everyday practice of most medical institutions. The aim of this study was to correlate the clinical and pathological diagnoses of principal disease and cause of death after autopsy in patients who died during 1999 at the Cardiology Clinic, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Sremska Kamenica, Yugoslavia. Medical histories and autopsy reports of dead patients were analyzed: 255 (8.46%) patients died, but only 72 (28%) underwent autopsy. In 53 patients (73%) clinical cause of death was cardiac. Among these patients, consequences of coronary (atherosclerotic) artery disease prevailed in 41 patients (77%). Noncardiac cause of death was established in 19 patients (27%) and vascular causes prevailed with 17 (23%). The comparison of clinical and principal disease established by autopsy revealed a complete concordance in 62 cases, partial concordance in 1 and no concordance in 9 cases. Thus, concordance was found in 86-87.5%. The correlation coefficient was 0.48. Comparison of clinical and autopsy diagnoses of causes of death revealed concordance in 53 patients, with correlation coefficient 0.26.
