Prevalence of harmful diagnostic errors in hospitalised adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1008-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig G Gunderson ◽  
Victor P Bilan ◽  
Jurgen L Holleck ◽  
Phillip Nickerson ◽  
Benjamin M Cherry ◽  
...  

BackgroundDiagnostic error is commonly defined as a missed, delayed or wrong diagnosis and has been described as among the most important patient safety hazards. Diagnostic errors also account for the largest category of medical malpractice high severity claims and total payouts. Despite a large literature on the incidence of inpatient adverse events, no systematic review has attempted to estimate the prevalence and nature of harmful diagnostic errors in hospitalised patients.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted using Medline, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane library from database inception through 9 July 2019. We included all studies of hospitalised adult patients that used physician review of case series of admissions and reported the frequency of diagnostic adverse events. Two reviewers independently screened studies for inclusion, extracted study characteristics and assessed risk of bias. Harmful diagnostic error rates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis.ResultsTwenty-two studies including 80 026 patients and 760 harmful diagnostic errors from consecutive or randomly selected cohorts were pooled. The pooled rate was 0.7% (95% CI 0.5% to 1.1%). Of the 136 diagnostic errors that were described in detail, a wide range of diseases were missed, the most common being malignancy (n=15, 11%) and pulmonary embolism (n=13, 9.6%). In the USA, these estimates correspond to approximately 249 900 harmful diagnostic errors yearly.ConclusionBased on physician review, at least 0.7% of adult admissions involve a harmful diagnostic error. A wide range of diseases are missed, including many common diseases. Fourteen diagnoses account for more than half of all diagnostic errors. The finding that a wide range of common diagnoses are missed implies that efforts to improve diagnosis must target the basic processes of diagnosis, including both cognitive and system-related factors.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018115186.

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 939
Author(s):  
Jiaxin Chen ◽  
Yuangui Cai ◽  
Yicong Chen ◽  
Anthony P. Williams ◽  
Yifang Gao ◽  
...  

Background: Nervous and muscular adverse events (NMAEs) have garnered considerable attention after the vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, the incidences of NMAEs remain unclear. We aimed to calculate the pooled event rate of NMAEs after COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials on the incidences of NMAEs after COVID-19 vaccination was conducted. The PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched from inception to 2 June 2021. Two independent reviewers selected the study and extracted the data. Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated and generated with random or fixed effects models. The protocol of the present study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021240450). Results: In 15 phase 1/2 trials, NMAEs occurred in 29.2% vs. 21.6% (p < 0.001) vaccinated participants and controls. Headache and myalgia accounted for 98.2% and 97.7%, and their incidences were 16.4% vs. 13.9% (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.28–3.06, p = 0.002) and 16.0% vs. 7.9% (OR = 3.31, 95% CI = 2.05–5.35, p < 0.001) in the vaccine and control groups, respectively. Headache and myalgia were more frequent in the newly licensed vaccines (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.28–3.06, p = 0.02 and OR = 3.31, 95% CI = 2.05–5.35, p < 0.001) and younger adults (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.12–1.75, p = 0.003 and OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.20–1.96, p < 0.001). In four open-label trials, the incidences of headache, myalgia, and unsolicited NMAEs were 38.7%, 27.4%, and 1.5%. Following vaccination in phase 3 trials, headache and myalgia were still common with a rate of 29.5% and 19.2%, although the unsolicited NMAEs with incidence rates of ≤ 0.7% were not different from the control group in each study. Conclusions: Following the vaccination, NMAEs are common of which headache and myalgia comprised a considerable measure, although life-threatening unsolicited events are rare. NMAEs should be continuously monitored during the ongoing global COVID-19 vaccination program.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. e047344
Author(s):  
Qingwu Wu ◽  
Lianxiong Yuan ◽  
Huijun Qiu ◽  
Xinyue Wang ◽  
Xuekun Huang ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo assess the efficacy and safety of omalizumab for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and to identify evidence gaps that will guide future research on omalizumab for CRSwNP.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesA comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library on 13 October 2020.Eligibility criteriaRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing omalizumab with placebo, given for at least 16 weeks in adult patients with CRSwNP.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent authors screened search results, extracted data and assessed studies using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Data were pooled using the inverse-variance method and expressed as mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity was assessed by the χ2 test and the I2 statistic.ResultsA total of four RCTs involving 303 participants were identified. When comparing omalizumab to placebo, there was a significant difference in Nasal Polyps Score (MD=−1.20; 95% CI −1.48 to −0.92), Nasal Congestion Score (MD=−0.67; 95% CI −0.86 to −0.48), Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (MD=−15.62; 95% CI −19.79 to −11.45), Total Nasal Symptom Score (MD=−1.84; 95% CI −2.43 to −1.25) and reduced need for surgery (risk ratio (RR)=5.61; 95% CI 1.99 to 15.81). Furthermore, there was no difference in the risk of serious adverse events ((RR=1.40; 95% CI 0.29 to 6.80), adverse events (RR=0.83; 95% CI 0.60 to 1.15) and rescue systemic corticosteroid (RR=0.52; 95% CI 0.17 to 1.61).ConclusionsThis was the first meta-analysis that identified omalizumab significantly improved endoscopic, clinical and patient-reported outcomes in adults with moderate to severe CRSwNP and it was safe and well tolerated.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020207639.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253588
Author(s):  
Myriam Jaam ◽  
Lina Mohammad Naseralallah ◽  
Tarteel Ali Hussain ◽  
Shane Ashley Pawluk

Introduction Medication errors are avoidable events that can occur at any stage of the medication use process. They are widespread in healthcare systems and are linked to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Several strategies have been studied to reduce their occurrence including different types of pharmacy-based interventions. One of the main pharmacist-led interventions is educational programs, which seem to have promising benefits. Objective To describe and compare various pharmacist-led educational interventions delivered to healthcare providers and to evaluate their impact qualitatively and quantitatively on medication error rates. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted through searching Cochrane Library, EBSCO, EMBASE, Medline and Google Scholar from inception to June 2020. Only interventional studies that reported medication error rate change after the intervention were included. Two independent authors worked through the data extraction and quality assessment using Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT). Summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model for rates of medication errors. Research protocol is available in The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD42019116465. Results Twelve studies involving 115058 participants were included. The two main recipients of the educational interventions were nurses and resident physicians. Educational programs involved lectures, posters, practical teaching sessions, audit and feedback method and flash cards of high-risk abbreviations. All studies included educational sessions as part of their program, either alone or in combination with other approaches, and most studies used errors encountered before implementing the intervention to inform the content of these sessions. Educational programs led by a pharmacist were associated with significant reductions in the overall rate of medication errors occurrence (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.65). Conclusion Pharmacist-led educational interventions directed to healthcare providers are effective at reducing medication error rates. This review supports the implementation of pharmacist-led educational intervention aimed at reducing medication errors.


Author(s):  
Pinky Kotecha ◽  
Alexander Light ◽  
Enrico Checcucci ◽  
Daniele Amparore ◽  
Cristian Fiori ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the data currently available regarding the repurposing of different drugs for Covid-19 treatment. Participants with suspected or diagnosed Covid-19 will be included. The interventions being considered are drugs being repurposed, and comparators will include standard of care treatment or placebo.MethodsWe searched Ovid-MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library, clinical trial registration site in the UK(NIHR), Europe (clinicaltrialsregister.eu), US (ClinicalTrials.gov) and internationally (isrctn.com), and reviewed the reference lists of articles for eligible articles published up to April 22, 2020. All studies in English that evaluated the efficacy of the listed drugs were included. Cochrane RoB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tool were used to assess study quality. This systematic review adheres to the PRISMA guidelines. The protocol is available at PROSPERO (CRD42020180915).ResultsFrom 708 identified studies or clinical trials, 16 studies and 16 case reports met our eligibility criteria. Of these, 6 were randomized controlled trials (763 patients), 7 cohort studies (321 patients) and 3 case series (191 patients). Chloroquine (CQ) had a 100% discharge rate compared to 50% with lopinavir-ritonavir at day 14, however a trial has recommended against a high dosage due to cardiotoxic events. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has shown no significant improvement in negative seroconversion rate which is also seen in our meta-analysis (p=0.68). Adverse events with HCQ have a significant difference compared to the control group (p=0.001). Lopinavir-ritonavir has shown no improvement in time to clinical improvement which is seen in our meta-analyses (p=0.1). Remdesivir has shown no significant improvement in time to clinical improvement but this trial had insufficient power.DiscussionDue to the paucity in evidence, it is difficult to establish the efficacy of these drugs in the treatment of Covid-19 as currently there is no significant clinical effectiveness of the repurposed drugs. Further large clinical trials are required to achieve more reliable findings. A risk-benefit analysis is required on an individual basis to weigh out the potential improvement in clinical outcome and viral load reduction compared to the risks of the adverse events. (1-16)


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-485
Author(s):  
Parisa Moradi Majd ◽  
Hesam Seyedin ◽  
Hasan Bagheri ◽  
Nader Tavakoli

ABSTRACTIn a wide range of events, people may be acutely exposured to chemical substances. Particular hospital preparedness plans and vital resources are essential for appropriate health-care measures. The present study aimed to conduct a systematic review to summarize and evaluate the existing evidence on hospital preparedness plans or protocols against chemical incidents and threats. In this aim, through May 15, 2018, 5 electronic databases were searched in MEDLINE (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) for the following key words: hospital preparedness, plan, protocol, chemical incident, and chemical threat. The final review included 11 peer-reviewed papers that met inclusion criteria. The systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis protocol (PRISMA) (www.prisma-statement.org). Finally, of 16,540 selected papers, 11 papers were included in the final analysis. The thematic analyses revealed 11 major categories of chemical incidents and threats planning, such as planning requirements, planning prerequisites, preparation team member (multidisciplinary team), decontamination, personal protective equipment, education and training, job descriptions and roles, communication, database, staff /volunteer organization, as well as planning barriers and challenges for chemical incidents. Most countries have launched hospital preparedness planning against chemical incidents and threat activities, but the preparedness of hospitals is often less than desirable. Many items, such as databases, hospital preparation team members, communications, etc., are still challenging.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Han Liu ◽  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Siqiao Sun ◽  
Shuai Wang

Background. The apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE -/-) mouse model is well established for the study of terpenoids in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Studies investigating the clinical benefit of terpenoids in humans are scarce. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of terpenoid administration on atherosclerotic lesion area in ApoE -/- mice. Methods. A comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify studies that assessed the effects of terpenoids on atherosclerosis in ApoE -/- mice. The primary outcome was atherosclerotic lesion area, and study quality was estimated using SYRCLE’s risk of bias tool. Results. The meta-analysis included 25 studies. Overall, terpenoids significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion area when compared to vehicle control (P<0.00001; SMD: -0.55; 95% CI: -0.72, -0.39). In terpenoid type and dose subgroup analyses, sesquiterpenoid (P=0.002; SMD -0.93; 95% CI: -1.52, -0.34), diterpenoid (P=0.01; SMD: -0.30; 95% CI: -0.54, -0.06), triterpenoid (P<0.00001; SMD: -0.66; 95% CI: -0.94, -0.39), tetraterpenoid (P<0.0001; SMD: -1.81; 95% CI: -2.70, -0.91), low dose (P=0.0001; SMD: -0.51; 95% CI: -0.76, -0.25), medium dose (P<0.0001; SMD: -0.48; 95% CI: -0.72, -0.24), and high dose (P=0.002; SMD: -1.07; 95% CI: -1.74, -0.40) significantly decreased atherosclerotic lesion area when compared to vehicle control. PROSPERO register number is CRD42019121176. Conclusion. Sesquiterpenoid, diterpenoid, triterpenoid, and tetraterpenoid have potential as antiatherosclerotic agents with a wide range of doses. This systematic review provides a reference for research programs aimed at the development of terpenoid-based clinical drugs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiqi Wu ◽  
Hantong Hu ◽  
Dexiong Han ◽  
Hong Gao

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most common complications of herpes zoster (HZ), and there is still a lack of effective therapies. An increasing number of studies have found that compared to traditional therapy, moxibustion treatment is beneficial for the treatment of PHN, although current evidence remains inconclusive. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for PHN.Methods: We conducted a broad literature review of a range of databases from inception to December 2020, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Clinical Trails, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP), China Biomedical Network Information, and Wanfang databases. We included RCTs that compared moxibustion to pharmacological therapies, herbal medicine, or no treatment for treating PHN. The main outcome measure was efficacy rate and Visual Analog Scale (VAS); the secondary outcome measure was adverse events. Data accumulation and synthesis included meta-analysis, publication bias, sensitivity analysis, risk-of-bias assessment, and adverse events.Results: We included 13 RCTs involving 798 patients. Compared with the controls (pharmacological therapies, herbal medicine, or no treatment), moxibustion achieved a significantly higher efficacy rate (odds ratio [OR]: 3.65; 95% [confidence interval]: [2.32, 5.72]; P &lt; 0.00001). Subgroup analysis of the distinct moxibustion modalities showed that both Zhuang medicine medicated thread and thunder-fire moxibustions obtained higher clinical efficacy than the control group. Compared with the controls, moxibustion resulted in significantly lower scores on the VAS (Weighted Mean Difference (MD) = −1.79; 95% CI: [−2.26, −1.33]; P &lt; 0.00001). However, there was no significant difference in terms of safety between moxibustion and the controls (OR = 0.33; 95% CI [0.06, 1.77]; P = 0.19).Conclusion: Due to the lack of methodological quality as well as the significant heterogeneity of the included studies, it remains difficult to draw a firm conclusion on the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for the treatment of PHN. Future high-quality studies are urgently needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Perquier ◽  
Sarah Hetrick ◽  
Terri Rodak ◽  
Xin Jing ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Suicide is a leading cause of death in children and youth, with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts (referred to as non-fatal suicidal behaviors (NFSB)) being among its strongest predictors. Positive parenting (e.g., warmth, responsiveness), negative parenting (e.g., control, hostility), and parent-child relationship quality (e.g., trust, communication) have been reported to be associated with differences in NFSB in this population. To date, no comprehensive systematic review has considered together the wide range of parenting factors studied in relation to NFSB, and no meta-analysis of existing findings has been conducted. The present study will critically appraise and synthesize the existing evidence from observational studies that examine the relationships between parenting factors and (i) suicidal ideation and (ii) suicide attempt in children and youth. Methods Studies will be retrieved from APA PsycInfo, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases. Retrospective, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies, conducted in clinical and population settings, among youth aged less than 25 years and published as articles and dissertations in English or French will be eligible. Two reviewers will select articles using the Covidence Software after title and abstract screening and full-text assessment, will extract information using double data entry, and will appraise studies’ quality using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Any disagreements will be discussed with a third reviewer. Publication bias will be evaluated using funnel plots and Egger’s test. In addition to a narrative summary of results, meta-analyses will be conducted using results from at least three studies. Three-level random effect models will allow to derive pooled estimates from dependent effect sizes (from the same sample or study). In case of significant heterogeneity, moderation analyses will be performed considering participants’ characteristics and methodological aspects of studies. The results will be reported according to the PRISMA guidelines, and the certainty of evidence will be assessed using the GRADE approach. Discussion In highlighting parenting factors associated with NFSB and in estimating the overall strength of these associations in children and youth, our results will inform further intervention and prevention strategies designed for young people experiencing NFSB and their families. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020165345


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubham Misra ◽  
Manabesh Nath ◽  
Vijay Hadda ◽  
Deepti Vibha

AbstractBackground and aimSeveral therapeutic agents have been investigated for the treatment of novel Coronavirus-2019 (nCOV-2019). We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of various treatment modalities in nCOV-2019 patients.MethodsAn extensive literature search was conducted before 22 May 2020 in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane library databases. Quality assessment was performed using Newcastle Ottawa Scale. A fixed-effect model was applied if I2 <50%, else the results were combined using random-effect model. Risk Ratio (RR) or Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) along-with 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI) were used to pool the results. Between study heterogeneity was explored using influence and sensitivity analyses & publication bias was assessed using funnel plots. Entire statistical analysis was conducted in R version 3.6.2.ResultsEighty-one studies involving 44 in vitro and 37 clinical studies including 8662 nCOV-2019 patients were included in the review. Lopinavir-Ritonavir compared to controls was significantly associated with shorter mean time to clinical improvement (SMD -0.32; 95%CI -0.57 to -0.06) and Remdesivir compared to placebo was significantly associated with better overall clinical improvement (RR 1.17; 95%CI 1.07 to 1.29). Hydroxychloroquine was associated with less overall clinical improvement (RR 0.88; 95%CI 0.79 to 0.98) and longer time to clinical improvement (SMD 0.64; 95%CI 0.33 to 0.94), It additionally had higher all-cause mortality (RR 1.6; 95%CI 1.26 to 2.03) and more total adverse events (RR 1.84; 95% CI 1.58 to 2.13).ConclusionOur meta-analysis suggests that except in vitro studies, no treatment till now has shown clear-cut benefit on nCOV-2019 patients. Lopinavir-Ritonavir and Remdesivir have shown some benefits in terms less time to clinical improvement and better overall clinical improvement. Hydroxychloroquine use has a risk of higher mortality and adverse events. Results from upcoming large clinical trials must be awaited to draw any profound conclusions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
I. Wrohan ◽  
L. Redwood ◽  
J. Ho ◽  
K. Velen ◽  
G. J. Fox

BACKGROUND: The use of injectable antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is associated with substantial morbidity due to long-term hearing loss. This systematic review evaluates the incidence of ototoxicity among patients treated for MDR-TB, and the evidence for routine audiometric monitoring to mitigate its severity.METHODS: Studies of ototoxicity among patients with MDR-TB were identified from six databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Library. Meta-analyses were performed to determine the overall incidence of hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo. The incidence of hearing loss was further stratified by country income status and the injectable agent used during treatment.RESULTS: Among 64 studies from 25 countries including 12 793 patients, 28.3% (95%CI 23.4–33.1) of patients treated with injectables reported hearing loss. Tinnitus and vertigo were experienced by respectively 14.5% (95%CI 10.3–18.7) and 8.1% (95%CI 4.7–11.6) of patients. The incidence of hearing loss was highest among patients treated with amikacin (33.4%, 95%CI 18.2–48.6), and lowest among those treated with capreomycin (2.0%, 95%CI 0–5.5). We found that audiometry was widely used as a method of evaluating hearing loss, and was feasible in a wide range of settings.CONCLUSION: Injectable antibiotics contribute to significant morbidity in patients with MDR-TB. In settings where they are used, routine audiometric monitoring is recommended to prevent irreversible damage.


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