A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands

Bartholomeus G. H. Latten; Lucy I. H. Overbeek; Bela Kubat; Axel Zur Hausen; Leo J. Schouten

doi:10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9

A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands

Bartholomeus G. H. Latten^*, Lucy I. H. Overbeek, Bela Kubat, Axel Zur Hausen, Leo J. Schouten

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/Letter to the editor › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Objective Autopsy rates have been declining worldwide. The present study reports the outcome of a retrospective analysis of all non-forensic autopsies in the Netherlands over a course of 25 years, and compares these with the most recent Dutch study.

Method Retrospectively, 25 years of data on clinical autopsies from the Nationwide Network and Registry of Histo- and Cytopathology in the Netherlands (PALGA) was paired with the mortality registry ( Statistics Netherlands).

Results The crude prevalence of autopsies declined from 7.07% in 1991 to 2.73% in 2015. After adjusting for age at death, there was no difference in autopsy rate between males and females. An increasing age significantly decreased the autopsy rate.

Conclusion In the Netherlands, clinical autopsies have been declining over the last quarter century. Age at death, but not sex, was associated with the autopsy rate. These different results stress the importance of correct collection and analysis methods of data.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1171-1174
Number of pages	4
Journal	European Journal of Epidemiology
Volume	34
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9
Publication status	Published - Dec 2019

Keywords

Autopsy rate
Quality control
Autopsy
DIAGNOSTIC ERRORS
HOSPITAL AUTOPSY
RATES
DEATH

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10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9

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Cite this

@article{3ea1f92364854182a1ef86312d367919,

title = "A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands",

abstract = "Objective Autopsy rates have been declining worldwide. The present study reports the outcome of a retrospective analysis of all non-forensic autopsies in the Netherlands over a course of 25 years, and compares these with the most recent Dutch study.Method Retrospectively, 25 years of data on clinical autopsies from the Nationwide Network and Registry of Histo- and Cytopathology in the Netherlands (PALGA) was paired with the mortality registry ( Statistics Netherlands).Results The crude prevalence of autopsies declined from 7.07% in 1991 to 2.73% in 2015. After adjusting for age at death, there was no difference in autopsy rate between males and females. An increasing age significantly decreased the autopsy rate.Conclusion In the Netherlands, clinical autopsies have been declining over the last quarter century. Age at death, but not sex, was associated with the autopsy rate. These different results stress the importance of correct collection and analysis methods of data.",

keywords = "Autopsy rate, Quality control, Autopsy, DIAGNOSTIC ERRORS, HOSPITAL AUTOPSY, RATES, DEATH",

author = "Latten, {Bartholomeus G. H.} and Overbeek, {Lucy I. H.} and Bela Kubat and Hausen, {Axel Zur} and Schouten, {Leo J.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, Springer Nature B.V.",

year = "2019",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9",

language = "English",

volume = "34",

pages = "1171--1174",

journal = "European Journal of Epidemiology",

issn = "0393-2990",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands

AU - Latten, Bartholomeus G. H.

AU - Overbeek, Lucy I. H.

AU - Kubat, Bela

AU - Hausen, Axel Zur

AU - Schouten, Leo J.

PY - 2019/12

Y1 - 2019/12

N2 - Objective Autopsy rates have been declining worldwide. The present study reports the outcome of a retrospective analysis of all non-forensic autopsies in the Netherlands over a course of 25 years, and compares these with the most recent Dutch study.Method Retrospectively, 25 years of data on clinical autopsies from the Nationwide Network and Registry of Histo- and Cytopathology in the Netherlands (PALGA) was paired with the mortality registry ( Statistics Netherlands).Results The crude prevalence of autopsies declined from 7.07% in 1991 to 2.73% in 2015. After adjusting for age at death, there was no difference in autopsy rate between males and females. An increasing age significantly decreased the autopsy rate.Conclusion In the Netherlands, clinical autopsies have been declining over the last quarter century. Age at death, but not sex, was associated with the autopsy rate. These different results stress the importance of correct collection and analysis methods of data.

AB - Objective Autopsy rates have been declining worldwide. The present study reports the outcome of a retrospective analysis of all non-forensic autopsies in the Netherlands over a course of 25 years, and compares these with the most recent Dutch study.Method Retrospectively, 25 years of data on clinical autopsies from the Nationwide Network and Registry of Histo- and Cytopathology in the Netherlands (PALGA) was paired with the mortality registry ( Statistics Netherlands).Results The crude prevalence of autopsies declined from 7.07% in 1991 to 2.73% in 2015. After adjusting for age at death, there was no difference in autopsy rate between males and females. An increasing age significantly decreased the autopsy rate.Conclusion In the Netherlands, clinical autopsies have been declining over the last quarter century. Age at death, but not sex, was associated with the autopsy rate. These different results stress the importance of correct collection and analysis methods of data.

KW - Autopsy rate

KW - Quality control

KW - Autopsy

KW - DIAGNOSTIC ERRORS

KW - HOSPITAL AUTOPSY

KW - RATES

KW - DEATH

U2 - 10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9

DO - 10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9

M3 - Comment/Letter to the editor

C2 - 31728879

SN - 0393-2990

VL - 34

SP - 1171

EP - 1174

JO - European Journal of Epidemiology

JF - European Journal of Epidemiology

IS - 12

ER -