Diagnostic uncertainty among critically ill children admitted to the PICU: A multicenter study (February 2025)

Summary

Diagnostic uncertainty was relatively common in critically ill children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), an AHRQ-funded study in Critical Care Medicine concluded.

Diagnostic uncertainty is the subjective perception of clinicians of their inability to provide an accurate explanation of a patient’s health problem. Researchers aimed to identify the frequency and factors associated with diagnostic uncertainty among critically ill children admitted to PICU. They reviewed the medical records of 882 patients admitted to one of four PICUs.

Diagnostic uncertainty at admission was observed in 228 out of 882 patients. They also found a significant association between diagnostic uncertainty and diagnostic error. Researchers highlighted the need for more research and better strategies to address diagnostic uncertainty.