Frequency of Different Types of Diagnostic Errors in Patients with Central Nervous System Infections: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Table 1

The frequency distribution of clinical outcome in relation to several variables.

Parameter		Complete recovery	Sequelae	Dead	P value
Symptom onset to diagnosis	< 1 week	78 (91.5%)	5 (6%)	2 (2.5%)	< 0.001
	1-3 weeks	55 (100%)	0	0
	> 3 weeks	15 (51.5%)	9 (31%)	5 (17.5%)
No. of prior visits	Once	60 (87%)	5 (7.5%)	4 (5.5%)	0.634
	More than once	88 (88%)	9 (9%)	3 (3%)
Incomplete history taking	Yes	93 (88.5%)	9 (8.5%)	3 (3%)	0.571
	No	55 (86%)	5 (8%)	4 (6%)
Incomplete physical examination	Yes	92 (88.5%)	8 (7.5%)	4 (4%)	0.908
	No	56 (86%)	6 (9%)	3 (5%)
Failure in referral	Yes	48 (86%)	4 (9%)	1 (5%)	0.542
	No	100 (90.5%)	10 (7.5%)	6 (2%)
Receiving antibiotics before diagnosis of CNS infection	Yes	112 (91%)	9 (7.5%)	2 (1.5%)	0.030
	No	36 (78%)	5 (11%)	5 (11%)
Receiving corticosteroids before diagnosis of CNS infection	Yes	76 (84.5%)	9 (10%)	5 (5.5%)	0.391
	No	72 (91%)	5 (6.5%)	2 (2.5%)
Considering CNS infection	Yes	45 (86.5%)	5 (9.5%)	2 (4%)	0.913
	No	103 (88%)	9 (8%)	5 (4%)
GCS level on admission	< 12	15 (52%)	9 (31%)	5 (17%)	< 0.001
	12-14	81 (92%)	5 (6%)	2 (2%)
	15	52 (100%)	0	0

CNS: Central nervous system; GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale.