TY - JOUR
T1 - Patients with suspected meningitis
T2 - A study in general practice
AU - Koorevaar, Rinco
AU - Bruijnzeels, Marc A.
AU - Van der Wouden, Johannes C.
AU - Van der Does, Emiel
AU - Van der Velden, Koos
AU - Van Suijlekom-Smit, Lisette Wa
PY - 1995/1/1
Y1 - 1995/1/1
N2 - To assess the management of patients with suspected meningitis by general practitioners, we used data from the Dutch National Survey of Morbidity and Interventions in General Practice. In this study, involving 161 general practitioners with a practice population of 335,000 persons, all patient contacts in general practice and all hospital admissions were registered. Additional information was gathered by interviewing the GPs involved. We selected patients with a provisional diagnosis of meningitis by the GP and/or a hospital diagnosis of meningitis. Of the 17 patients with the provisional diagnosis of meningitis by the GP eight had a final diagnosis of meningitis (predictive value of the provisional diagnosis: 46% In the majority of patients with another final diagnosis the GP reported meningeal irritability and lowered consciousness, but this was not confirmed in hospital. Of all ten patients with a final diagnosis of meningitis eight had the correct provisional diagnosis of meningitis by the GP (sensitivity of the provisional diagnosis meningitis: 80% We conclude that it is often difficult to diagnose meningitis in general practice. Inevitably, patients will be referred with a provisional diagnosis of meningitis which cannot be confirmed in hospital.
AB - To assess the management of patients with suspected meningitis by general practitioners, we used data from the Dutch National Survey of Morbidity and Interventions in General Practice. In this study, involving 161 general practitioners with a practice population of 335,000 persons, all patient contacts in general practice and all hospital admissions were registered. Additional information was gathered by interviewing the GPs involved. We selected patients with a provisional diagnosis of meningitis by the GP and/or a hospital diagnosis of meningitis. Of the 17 patients with the provisional diagnosis of meningitis by the GP eight had a final diagnosis of meningitis (predictive value of the provisional diagnosis: 46% In the majority of patients with another final diagnosis the GP reported meningeal irritability and lowered consciousness, but this was not confirmed in hospital. Of all ten patients with a final diagnosis of meningitis eight had the correct provisional diagnosis of meningitis by the GP (sensitivity of the provisional diagnosis meningitis: 80% We conclude that it is often difficult to diagnose meningitis in general practice. Inevitably, patients will be referred with a provisional diagnosis of meningitis which cannot be confirmed in hospital.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0006578544&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3109/13814789509160750
DO - https://doi.org/10.3109/13814789509160750
M3 - Article
SN - 1751-1402
VL - 1
SP - 21
EP - 24
JO - European journal of general practice
JF - European journal of general practice
IS - 1
ER -