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Table 3 International classification of primary care second edition (ICPC-2) category of the final diagnosis of patients referred to the General Medicine Department (n = 408)

From: Investigation of diseases that cause diagnostic difficulty for Japanese general physicians

ICPC-2 organ system category

Referred by general physicians

Referred by other physicians

 

n (%)

n (%)

P value

A. General & Unspecified

35 (20.7)

26 (10.9)

0.007

B. Blood, Blood Forming Organs & Immune Mechanism

11 (6.5)

11 (4.6)

0.505

D. Digestive

20 (11.8)

20 (8.4)

0.311

F. Eye

0 (0)

2 (0.8)

0.514

H. Ear

6 (3.6)

6 (2.5)

0.564

K. Cardiovascular

6 (3.6)

14 (5.9)

0.356

L. Musculoskeletal

21 (12.4)

29 (12.1)

1.000

N. Neurological

10 (5.9)

18 (7.5)

0.558

P. Psychological

31 (18.3)

69 (28.9)

0.019

R. Respiratory

11 (6.5)

10 (4.2)

0.364

S. Skin

3 (1.8)

10 (4.2)

0.254

T. Endocrine/Metabolic & Nutritional

8 (4.7)

8 (3.3)

0.606

U. Urological

2 (1.2)

6 (2.5)

0.478,

W. Pregnancy, Childbearing, Family Planning

0 (0)

0 (0)

NA

X. Female Genital (including breasts)

3 (1.4)

4 (1.7)

1.000

Y. Male Genital

0 (0)

0 (0)

NA

Z. Social Problems

0 (1.4)

3 (1.3)

0.270

Uncertain diagnosis

2 (1.4)

3 (1.3)

1.000

Total

169

239

 
  1. Data were analyzed by Fisher’s exact test with a post hoc Bonferroni test and significance was accepted at P < 0.0028. NA: not available.
  2. General physicians: physicians working at general internal medicine clinics.
  3. Other physicians: physicians working at specialist clinics or hospital physicians.