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“Undiagnosing” multiple sclerosis-The challenge of misdiagnosis in MS
Neurology, 07/09/2012
Clinical Article
Solomon AJ et al. – The misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is common and has significant consequences for patient care and health care system costs. Caring for a patient with a misdiagnosis of MS is challenging, and at times honest disclosure of a misdiagnosis represents an important ethical concern for neurologists. More data are needed on this patient population to improve diagnostic acumen and the care of these patients.
Methods- A cross-sectional Internet-based physician survey of MS specialists was performed.
- The response rate for the survey was 50.4%.
- Of those who responded, the majority (95%) reported having evaluated 1 or more patients who had been diagnosed with MS, but who they strongly felt did not have MS, within the last year.
- The majority of respondents (>90%) also reported the use of disease-modifying therapy in a proportion of these patients.
- Most respondents (94%) found clinical encounters with these patients equally or more challenging than giving a new diagnosis of MS.
- Fourteen percent of respondents reported that they did not always inform such patients of their opinion that they did not have MS.
