Cause of death in demented and non-demented elderly inpatients; an autopsy study of 308 cases.

摘要

Few studies evaluated cause of death (COD) in elderly demented and non-demented people, the majority based on death certificates alone. The present study is based on autopsy reports with neuropathological examination of 308 inpatients (58.1% female) over age 60 years (mean: 83.5, SD: +/-8.6). CODs were classified into seven groups. The most common were bronchopneumonia (n=117; 38%) and cardiovascular disease (n=116, 37.7%). In 176 patients (57.1%) neuropathology was indicative for dementia: 76.7% Alzheimer disease (AD), 4.5% vascular dementia, 4.0% mixed type dementia (AD + vascular dementia), and 14.8% other dementias. Main COD significantly differed in demented and non-demented patients: bronchopneumonia (45.5% in demented versus 28.0% in non-demented), cardiovascular disease (46.2% in non-demented versus 31.3% in demented). Whereas there were significant differences in COD between AD patients and non-demented ones (bronchopneumonia versus cardiovascular disease), no differences were seen between thelatter and patients with other types of dementia than AD. Our data emphasize the high incidence of bronchopneumonia as a COD in patients suffering from AD.