Influence of diagnostic error on the prognosis of aneurismatic subarachnoidal hemorrhage in uruguay: Analysis of a series of 149 patients in prepandemic and pandemic time period SARS-COV2.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Introduction: Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) represents approximately 5% of all strokes, being a pathology of high impact in society, due to its high morbidity and mortality. The clinical presentation is varied, which leads many times to difficulties in diagnosis. The objective of this work is to analyze the diagnostic error that exists in this pathology, and to assess whether it was modified by the introduction of the Health Emergency declared in the country by the SARS-Cov2 pandemic.

Materials and Methods: it is a prospective and multicenter study, including all patients who presented SAH in Uruguay between November 1, 2019 and July 31, 2020. They were analyzed according to 3 periods: 1) pre-pandemic, 2) general quarantine, and 3) new normality. All patients over 18 years of age who consulted and were diagnosed with spontaneous aneurysmal SAH were included. Diagnostic error was defined as the inability to recognize this pathology in the initial medical consultation and discharge. The analysis was processed using SPSS version 22 software. The research was approved by all the Ethics Committees of the different centers that participated in the study.

Results: of a total of 149 patients, the mean age was 57.23 years, more frequently in the female sex. Diagnostic error was found in 38 patients (25.5%), with a higher percentage during general quarantine. The delay in diagnosis due to healthcare problems was 2.6%. There were 22.8% complications due to the indicated treatment, and 71.1% due to SAH, with an overall mortality of 51.7%.

Conclusions: in the present work, a high diagnostic error was observed, showing a significant direct relationship with headache and mild SAH (Hyh 1 and 2) as forms of presentation. There was a higher percentage of severe SAH compared to the literature, with a direct and significant relationship between the presence of vasospasm and mortality with diagnostic error. It is also clear that the health crisis determined that this diagnostic error increased during the first months of the pandemic in Uruguay.