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Table 3 Overview of recently performed autopsy studies in the ICU setting

From: Clinical review: What is the role for autopsy in the ICU?

Author

Period

Studied population

Type of hospital*

Study design

Autopsy rate (%)

Number of autopsies

Major error†(%)

Class I error (%)

Roosen et al. [18]

1996

Medical

Referral, Belgium

Retrospective

93

100

36

16

Combes et al. [17]

11/1995 to 10/1998

Mixed

Referral, France

Prospective

53

167

31.7

10.2

Dimopoulos et al. [41]

1999

Mixed

Referral, Belgium

Retrospective

45

222

8.5

5.4

Maris et al. [42]

1/2004 to 12/2005

Mixed

Referral, Belgium

Retrospective

37

289

19

6

Nadrous et al. [33]

1/1998 to 12/2000

Mixed

Referral, USA

Retrospective

33

455

21

4

Tai et al. [16]

1/1994 to 12/1995

Medical

Referral, USA

Retrospective

22

91

19.78

8.79

Mort et al. [43]

7/1986 to 7/1992

Surgical

Referral, USA

Retrospective

29

149

23

9.5

Podbregar et al. [44]

1/1998 to 12/1999

Medical

Referral, Slovenia

Retrospective

46

126

52.4

12

Twigg et al. [45]

6/1996 to 5/1999

Mixed

District, UK

Retrospective

40

97

23.71

4.12

Silfvast et al. [37]

1/1996 to 12/2000

Mixed

Referral, Finland

Retrospective

89

346

5

2.3

Fernandez-Segoviano et al. [46]

5/1983 to 12/1985

Mixed

Referral, Spain

Prospective

51

100

22

7

Pastores et al. [34]

1/1999 to 9/2005

Oncologic

Referral, USA

Retrospective

13

86

26

17

Ong et al. [47]

1/1997 to 12/1998

Trauma and burns

Referral, USA

Retrospective

97

153

18.95

3

Al-Saidi et al. [48]

11/1994 to 6/1999

Bone marrow transplant

Referral, Canada

Retrospective

47

28

10.7

3.6

Gerain et al. [36]

11/1985 to 10/1986

Oncologic

Referral, Belgium

Retrospective

69

34

59

Unknown

  1. *Referral: a hospital that is linked to a university, deals with general admissions and with referrals from other hospitals. †Major error: class I or II according to Goldman's criteria of missed diagnoses [3].