Table 1

Diagnostic error frequency

DiseaseNumber of cases (%) (N=209)
Sepsis20 (9.6)
Acute coronary syndrome19 (9.1)
Fractures—vertebral spine, extremity, rib or pelvic18 (8.6)
Vascular injury*18 (8.6)
Cerebrovascular accident8 (3.8)
Cardiac dysrhythmia6 (2.9)
Non-septic shock6 (2.9)
Hypoglycaemia6 (2.9)
Ectopic pregnancy5 (2.4)
Electrolyte derangement5 (2.4)
Pericardial effusion5 (2.4)
Pneumonia5 (2.4)
Pulmonary embolism5 (2.4)
Abscess4 (1.9)
Appendicitis4 (1.9)
Bowel injury4 (1.9)
Gastrointestinal bleeding4 (1.9)
Coagulopathy3 (1.4)
Haemoperitoneum3 (1.4)
Intestinal malrotation3 (1.4)
Meningitis3 (1.4)
Peritonitis3 (1.4)
Rh-negative status3 (1.4)
Small bowel obstruction3 (1.4)
Cerebral oedema2 (1.0)
Cholecystitis2 (1.0)
Diabetic ketoacidosis2 (1.0)
Epidural haematoma2 (1.0)
Hypoxia2 (1.0)
Intraocular foreign body2 (1.0)
Subarachnoid haemorrhage2 (1.0)
Subdural haematoma2 (1.0)
Testicular injury2 (1.0)
Urinary tract infection/pyelonephritis2 (1.0)
Acute closure glaucoma1 (0.5)
Angioedema1 (0.5)
Autonomic dysreflexia1 (0.5)
Brugada syndrome1 (0.5)
Cancer1 (0.5)
Cardiac injury1 (0.5)
Central vertigo1 (0.5)
Complex migraine1 (0.5)
Cranial nerve palsy1 (0.5)
Hirschsprung enterocolitis1 (0.5)
Hyperglycaemia1 (0.5)
Hypokalemic periodic paralysis1 (0.5)
Infected kidney stone1 (0.5)
Intra-abdominal bleeding1 (0.5)
Intracranial shunt malfunction1 (0.5)
Laryngeal mass1 (0.5)
Nephrotic syndrome1 (0.5)
Demyelinating disease1 (0.5)
Neutropenia1 (0.5)
Ovarian torsion1 (0.5)
Pericarditis1 (0.5)
Pleural effusion1 (0.5)
Pulmonary contusion1 (0.5)
Pregnancy1 (0.5)
Pulmonary oedema1 (0.5)
Spinal cord compression1 (0.5)
Strangulated abdominal hernia1 (0.5)
Symptomatic anaemia1 (0.5)
Urethral injury1 (0.5)
Urinary retention1 (0.5)
Worsening brain metastasis1 (0.5)
  • *Aortic dissection, aortic arch injury, carotid dissection, extremity arterial insufficiency, inferior epigastric arterial injury, ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, superior mesenteric artery injury, vertebral artery dissection.