[Correlations between clinical diagnosis and necroscopy in geriatric patients]

The clinical data of 68 patients who died in a geriatric ward have been compared with their necropsies to identify discrepancies between clinical diagnosis and necropsy. A percentage of error of 32.78% was observed with respect to the clinical diagnosis of the main death-causing disease. It proved impossible to reach clinical diagnosis in 7 cases and in one not even necropsy cleared up the situation. An overestimate of neoplastic diseases was observed with an underestimate of diseases of the cardiocirculatory and respiratory apparatus. Other important pathological conditions associated with the main cause of death have also been considered and among these a total error percentage of 29.5% was found. A further 22 conditions were not diagnosed in life. The highest incidence of error was encountered in diagnoses judged to be clinically uncertain. Necropsy should therefore be encouraged as it remains the best way assessing the accuracy of clinical diagnosis.