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PubMed2004

Increased liver weights in severely burned children: comparison of ultrasound and autopsy measurements.

Hepatomegaly is a common finding at autopsy in severely burned children surviving less than 6 months. This study validates a reliable ultrasound method which can be used to identify changes in liver size in severely burned children during acute hospitalization. Thirty-eight children, age 0.5-17 years with burns covering over 40% of their total surface area were studied at autopsy. Liver weight was measured at autopsy and compared to predicted liver weight for age and height. Eighteen had liver size measured by ultrasound within 10 days of death while five had ultrasound liver measures after death just prior to autopsy. All burned children who survived 7 days or more (n = 33) had liver weights at autopsy that were greater than predicted for age and height while all 23 livers measured by ultrasound were greater than predicted. Autopsy weights correlated well with weights estimated by ultrasound, R = 0.824. At autopsy, those who survived 7 days or more had enlarged livers ranging from 142 to 406% of their predicted normal age and height. Common histologic findings include large and small-droplet fat deposits, and cholestasis. The degree of these histologic abnormalities correlated with the increase in liver weight, R = 0.652. Ultrasound is a valid, noninvasive method for measuring liver weight changes in severely burned children during acute hospitalization. Ninety-five percent of the severely burned children from this institute had significant hepatomegaly identified at autopsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Pectus excavatum in a 112-year autopsy series: anatomic findings and the effect on survival.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of pectus excavatum and associated conditions in a large autopsy series. It also sought to determine whether there were different survival patterns for pectus excavatum patients than for patients without pectus excavatum. METHODS: A computer-assisted search of autopsy files maintained by Johns Hopkins University was conducted, dating from 1889 to 2001. Each patient's Autopsy Pathology Information System report was reviewed for diagnosis and comorbid conditions. To determine whether there were differences in survival patterns, we tested whether pectus excavatum patients survived longer than controls, using a standard epidemiological method. Each patient in the autopsy series was compared with the 2 patients entered in the autopsy database chronologically immediately before and the 2 patients immediately after the case. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Pectus excavatum was identified at autopsy in 62 of 50,496 cases. Of these 62 patients, 17 were 65 years or older and appeared to have died of causes unrelated to pectus excavatum, the oldest being 91 years. Twenty-one were between the ages of 14 and 65 years and were found to have coexisting conditions or syndromes. Six were between the ages of 1 and 4 years. One of the 6 died in 1947 because of complications from pectus repair. No autopsied patient with pectus excavatum died between the ages of 5 and 14 years. Eighteen were infants younger than 1 year, and all 18 died because of conditions unrelated to pectus excavatum. There were no reported cases of pectus excavatum before 1947, and the severity of deformity could not be determined from the autopsy data. Survival analysis indicated that pectus excavatum patients had a different survival than the controls. Pectus excavatum patients tended to die earlier (P = .0001). However, pectus excavatum patients who survived past the age of 56 years tended to survive longer than their matched controls (P = .0001). CONCLUSION: Although there were no histological abnormalities noted in the cartilage of the pectus excavatum patient's conditions, pectus excavatum was associated with several connective tissue abnormalities. Analysis is consistent with the theory that this condition can impact survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Significant value of autopsy for quality management in cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: With recent advances in diagnostic imaging, the value of autopsy has been called into question. The aim of our study was to assess the current impact of autopsy for early postoperative quality management in cardiac surgery. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2003, a total of 14,313 patients underwent cardiac surgery at our center. Of these, 898 patients (6.3%) died, and autopsy was performed in 468 cases (52.1%). Data from clinical and postmortem examination were prospectively analyzed regarding causes of death, postoperative complications, concomitant diseases, and surgery-associated pathologic findings. RESULTS: Mean age was 68.7 years. Mean survival was 13.9 postoperative days. On autopsy, causes of death were cardiac in 49.8% of cases (n = 233), respiratory in 8.3% (n = 39), cerebral in 6.4% (n = 30), abdominal in 4.7% (n = 22), multiorgan failure or sepsis in 14.9% (n = 70), pulmonary embolism in 6.6% (n = 31), procedure associated in 8.3% (n = 39), and others in 0.9% (n = 4). Discrepancies between clinical and postmortem determinations of cause of death were found in 108 cases (23.1%). These were acute myocardial infarction (n = 38), low cardiac output (n = 9), respiratory (n = 8), cerebral (n = 5), abdominal (n = 7), multiorgan failure or sepsis (n = 12), pulmonary embolism (n = 18), and procedure associated (11). Clinically unrecognized postoperative complications were found in 364 cases (77.8%). Unknown concomitant diseases were found in 464 cases (99.1%), with potential therapeutic relevance in 90 cases (19.2%). In 85 cases (18.2%), autopsy examination revealed 96 premortem unrecognized surgery-associated pathologic findings. CONCLUSION: A high overall discrepancy rate between premortem and autopsy diagnoses was recognized. Autopsy revealed clinically relevant information in a significant number of cases. Therefore autopsy remains essential for quality assessment in perioperative treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Provider attitudes about gaining consent for perinatal autopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the attitudes of neonatologists, obstetricians, midwives, and neonatal nurses toward perinatal autopsy and survey physicians about whom they perceive influence women's decisions on autopsy consent. METHODS: A postal survey that incorporated a questionnaire of eight fictitious case scenarios and combined three factors (confidence of antemortem diagnosis, intention to have future pregnancy, and parental attitude toward autopsy) in various permutations was sent to various Australian physicians and nurses (all consultant neonatologists working in neonatal intensive care units and a sample of consultant obstetricians, midwives, and neonatal nurses in level III maternity hospitals). Respondents were asked to rate how likely they were to seek consent for or suggest autopsies on a seven-point Likert scale (1 = certainly will not, 7 = certainly will). Interactions between factors and respondents were measured by analysis of variance, and differences were compared using Mann-Whitney U, chi(2), and generalized estimating equation tests. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 70% (neonatologists 57%, obstetricians 62%, midwives 77%, and neonatal nurses 75%). Neonatologists (median score 7, interquartile range 7, 7) were more likely to ask for autopsies than neonatal nurses (5; 2, 6) (P <.001), as were obstetricians (7; 7, 7) compared with midwives (6; 3, 7) (P <.001). Physicians rated midwives and neonatal nurses as having some to substantial influence on mothers' decisions about consent for autopsy. CONCLUSION: Physicians are not averse to seeking consent for perinatal autopsies. Midwives and nurses are influenced by the three factors studied, which might negatively influence the consent rate for perinatal autopsies. Intervention strategies aimed at changing nurses' attitudes should be considered.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1998

The necessary role of the autopsy in cardiovascular epidemiology.

The autopsy rate in the United States today is remarkably low, with proportionally fewer autopsies for natural causes of death. Consequently, most cardiovascular epidemiology studies do not use autopsy data and rely on death certificates, medical records, questionnaires, and family interviews as sources of mortality information. These practices introduce a high degree of variability and uncertainty regarding cause of death. This review illustrates the necessity for increased use of autopsies in cardiovascular epidemiology by critically evaluating other measures of cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence. We evaluated the literature regarding CVD as cause of death and conducted discussions with cardiologists, pathologists, and epidemiologists. No attempt was made for meta-analysis. This review shows the limited reliability of death certificates, medical records, and interviews as sources of mortality statistics. In addition, the autopsy's role in clearly indicating the presence of CVD is illustrated. The autopsy used in conjunction with medical records is the only reliable means for establishing cause of death from CVD. There is an urgent need to reassess the current dependence of statistical mortality data on death certificates and other inadequate sources of CVD incidence. Death certificates, in general, are inadequately monitored for quality control and appropriate administrative oversight. With an increase in the number of hospitals performing no autopsies to investigate cause of death, a uniform national autopsy database is needed.

Autopsy↗
PubMed2001

Identification of small lung nodules at autopsy: implications for lung cancer screening and overdiagnosis bias.

PURPOSE: Unsuspected cases of lung cancer are reported to be uncommon in autopsy series, and these data have been used to suggest that indolent tumors are rare and that overdiagnosis bias is not an important factor in lung cancer screening. The purpose of this study was to determine if a retrospective autopsy review is indeed accurate in identifying all small lung nodules on CT, and thus provide a true estimate of unsuspected lung tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified all 1047 patients who had an autopsy at our institution from 1994 to 1998. We then reviewed the patients radiology records and found 187 patients with a thoracic CT within 2 months of the postmortem examination. All 187 CT reports were reviewed in order to identify patients with at least one pulmonary nodule. CT studies with reports that described a nodule(s) were then re-reviewed to confirm presence and location of the nodule(s). The CT findings were than compared to the autopsy report to determine if the postmortem examination indeed found the nodule(s). RESULTS: 28 autopsy patients had at least one pulmonary nodule identified on their thoracic CT no more than 2 months before death. Nineteen patients (68%) had nodule(s) recorded on the autopsy report, two ( approximately 10%) of which proved to have undiagnosed squamous cell carcinoma. Nine patients (22%) had no mention of pulmonary nodules seen on the CT recorded on their autopsy report. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests autopsies do not identify all small pulmonary nodules found at CT. The true incidence of clinically insignificant lung cancer is thus uncertain, and overdiagnosis bias in lung cancer screening may be more important than previously recognized.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Forensic pediatric autopsy and medical responsibility].

The integrity of the human body is an intangible human right acknowledged to persist after death. Violating the integrity of the human corpse is a penal act sanctioned by the 1994 version of the French Penal Code. There are only three exceptions: for science (medical autopsy), for public health (organ removal for graft), and for justice (forensic autopsy). The parents' written agreement is needed to perform a pediatric medical autopsy but not for a forensic autopsy. For the forensic pathologist, taking oath does not imply an authorization to override the precepts of humanity nor the Hippocratic Oath. The forensic pathologist remains subject to civil and penal law. This is why forensic pathologists have an obligation of excellence besides their obligation of means. A pediatric autopsy is a specific procedure compared with an adult autopsy and requires specific training. Forensic pathologists, like all pathologists, who does not have sufficient expertise should not perform pediatric autopsy but rather call in a qualified pediatric pathologist. Tissues or organs removed during a forensic autopsy can be used only for diagnostic purposes, and the parents' agreement must be obtained for any other use.

Autopsy↗
PubMed2000

The attitudes of medical students to autopsy.

To assess the attitudes of medical students to autopsy, 6th year students in the Medical Schools located in Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa in Turkey were asked to participate in a questionnaire. In the questionnaire, the main questions were on the number of autopsies they had attended, the number of autopsies they had participated in, their reaction to the first autopsy, whether they felt the conditions were adequate or not and what would their objectives be upon deciding to perform an autopsy. In the evaluation, it was detected that most of the participants had attended an autopsy, only a minority had participated in autopsy and most of them felt uncomfortable and inadequate on performing autopsy. The results were discussed with respect to the literature.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Study to increase the frequency of autopsies performed for cases of infant deaths--proposed revision of the law on postmortem examination and corpse preservation and other related regulations.

By definition, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) requires diagnosis through exclusion by conducting an autopsy. To obtain a reliable diagnosis of this disease, an autopsy is essential. However, the frequency with which autopsies are conducted in Japan is not sufficient to meet the need associated with the diagnosis of SIDS. To improve this frequency, various public policies, such as nationwide implementation of the administrative autopsy system (medical examiner system), the application of the practice of autopsy approved by families, and legally required autopsies, are being considered; but none has been put into practice. On the other hand, attention has been called to the fact that the Law on postmortem examination and corpse preservation, which was instituted at the end of the Second World War, requires updating. In the current report, it is proposed that the following be added to Article 8, item 3 of this Law: "the Metropolitan or Prefectural Governor must insist that an autopsy be conducted on all cases of a sudden and unexpected death of an infant to investigate the cause of this death." At present, the annual incidence of SIDS in Japan is reported to be 500. To put the above-recommended legal requirement into practice, the estimated annual addition to the budget, if conducted as approved or an administrative autopsy, will be in the order of 150,000-500,000 dollar, which is within the prescribed limits for an appropriation.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1997

Determinants of the autopsy decision: a statistical analysis.

Our goal was to use cross-sectional national mortality data to provide a multivariable statistical analysis of the factors that contribute to the decision of whether an autopsy will be performed. The identification of determinants of the autopsy is an important prerequisite for finding cost-effective alternatives for arresting or reversing the decline of autopsy rates in the circumstances in which the autopsy can continue to make a crucial contribution to clinical medicine and public health. The source of the data was 1986 National Center for Health Statistics (Washington, DC) mortality data tapes for Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington for the 1986 calendar year. Separate multiple logistic regressions were conducted on these data on a state-by-state basis, with a total of 139,063 individual mortality records as the unit of analysis. The dependent variable in all models was autopsy (yes/no). Odds ratios for selected explanatory variables were estimated for all four states, and the relative contribution of each explanatory variable was studied in a detailed analysis of one state. In general, the following independent variables had a statistically significant positive relationship with whether an autopsy will be performed: male sex; nonwhite ethnicity; death due to ill-defined or unknown cause; death due to accident, suicide, or homicide; presence of a nationally recognized medical center in the county of death; and death occurring in a standard metropolitan statistical area. In general, the following independent variables had a statistically significant negative relationship with whether an autopsy will be performed: older age at death; higher income level of the decedent; death in a nursing home; death at home; and residency in the county of death. The two most important variables influencing the autopsy decision were age at death (especially old age) and death due to accident, homicide, or suicide.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Predictors of atherosclerosis in the Honolulu Heart Program. II. Adjustment for autopsy bias.

Although autopsy is considered the final word on many medical questions, there has long been concern over possible bias in inference about a living population from analysis of autopsy material. Focus of the present paper is on the relationship between results obtainable only at autopsy and risk factors recorded as part of a prospective study of the entire "target population." Since pathologies are sure to be overrepresented in an autopsy sample compared to the target population, the dependence of autopsy scores upon risk factors may be distorted in the autopsy sample. The present paper proposes a method of adjustment for this bias. When both autopsy sample and target population can be stratified by major disease categories, under certain assumptions of equal effect, adjustment similar to the direct method for age adjustment may be applied. If, in addition, dependence can be characterized accurately by linear regression of both autopsy score and disease category frequency onto risk factors, then a very convenient calculation produces adjusted regression coefficients. This "parametric" method usually provides the most convenient results, with the greatest statistical power.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2002

The response of relatives to medicolegal investigations and forensic autopsy.

Relatives of deceased persons, on whose body a forensic autopsy had been performed at the Institute of Forensic Science, Bern, Switzerland, were interrogated by a questionnaire. The aim was to investigate the attitude of relatives toward medicolegal investigation procedures in general and toward forensic autopsy in particular. A great majority of the relatives showed a positive or indifferent attitude toward a forensic autopsy. They showed a great interest in autopsy results and wished to be informed. It was concluded that information given before the autopsy is important for better understanding and can, if properly given, improve the relatives' acceptance and collaboration regarding forensic investigations. By contrast, a lack of information before the autopsy and about the autopsy results can cause further suffering on behalf of the bereaved. A forensic autopsy can be of great benefit for relatives and can help them to cope with a tragic loss.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Consecutive autopsies on an internal medicine service.

OBJECTIVES: Autopsy rates continue to decline in the United States despite the demonstrated value of this procedure in many different settings. We sought to review clinical pathologic discordance information generated by autopsies on an internal medicine service in the urban United States and to determine whether resident services appear to influence autopsy rates. METHODS: We reviewed consecutive deaths and autopsies on an inpatient internal medicine service during a 30-month period at a 400-bed community hospital in Baltimore, MD. RESULTS: There were 622 deaths and 65 autopsies (10.3%). Resident teaching status correlated with a higher rate of autopsies performed (P = 0.048). Clinical pathologic discordance was common, with a major discordance rate of 39%. Major discordance was indicated by only one of nine autopsies performed on patients with human immunodeficiency virus. CONCLUSIONS: The autopsy was a valuable educational and quality improvement tool on the urban internal medicine service. Residency influences may be a major factor in continuing this exercise. In our study, although the numbers were small, patients with human immunodeficiency virus had a very low discordance rate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Hospital outbreak of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resulting from autopsy exposure].

An epidemic outbreak of tuberculosis resulting from exposure at an autopsy occurred at the National Defense Medical College Hospital. It consisted of 3 tuberculosis patients and 68 infected staff members over a 6-year observation period from 1997 to 2002 after exposure to an index patient. We report the incident and the background of the tuberculosis infection in our hospital. A 72-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome was admitted to our hospital and later died. Miliary tuberculosis was diagnosed at autopsy. The first non-periodic health examination was performed on the hospital staff who had contact with the patient. Tuberculosis infection was defined as an area of erythema not less than 30 mm in diameter in the tuberculin skin test. 13 of the 39 hospital staff members who had had contact with the patient were infected, and 3 developed tuberculosis. Of the latter 3 secondary tuberculosis patients, the only contact point two had had with the index case was in the autopsy room, and the other had had contact both in the autopsy room and on the ward. The incidence of tuberculosis infection among the staff who had had contact in the autopsy room alone was higher than among the staff who had had contact on the ward alone (odds ratio = 5.04; 1.08-23.42: 95% confidence interval). Because one of the secondary tuberculosis patients had bronchial tuberculosis, which is a strong source of infection, the second non-periodic health examination was performed on the staff who had had contact with the secondary tuberculosis patient, and 69 inpatients who had had contact with the staff were carefully observed over a two-year period. 58 of the 171 staff members were infected, and none developed tuberculosis. However, 23 patients were diagnosed with active tuberculosis after admission to our hospital during the 6 years from 1997 to 2002. Many of them were elderly patients with underlying diseases. An autopsy was performed on 6 of those who died, but only one was diagnosed with active tuberculosis before death. Five of the six autopsied patients had old, healed tuberculous lesions. This outbreak underlines the need for standard precautions, including anti-air droplet infection at autopsy, because antemortem diagnosis of tuberculosis is not always possible, and there is a risk of elderly hospitalized patients developing tuberculosis if they have been previously infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Autopsy after termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To study trends in termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly over 10 years and to assess the contribution of autopsy to the final diagnosis and counselling after termination. DESIGN: Retrospective study with cases from a congenital anomaly register and a defined unselected population. DATA SOURCES: Pregnancies resulting in termination for fetal anomaly identified from the Oxford congenital anomaly register. Details about the prenatal diagnosis and autopsy findings were retrieved from case notes. RESULTS: Of the 57 258 deliveries, 309 (0.5%) were terminated because of prenatally diagnosed abnormality. There were 129/29 086 (0.4%) terminations for fetal anomaly carried out in 1991-5 and 180/28 172 (0.6%) in 1996-2000. The percentage of fetuses that underwent autopsy fell from 84% to 67%. Autopsy was performed in 132 cases identified by ultrasound scan, with no evidence for abnormal karyotype. In 95 (72%) the autopsy confirmed the suspected diagnosis and did not add important further information, two cases were not classified, and in 35 (27%) the autopsy added information that led to a refinement of the risk of recurrence (reduced in 17, increased in 18); in 11 of these 18 cases it was increased to a one in four risk. CONCLUSIONS: Though there has been an increase in the rate of terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly, there has been a decline in the autopsy rate. When a prenatal diagnosis was based on the results of a scan only, the addition of information from an autopsy by a specialist paediatric pathologist provided important information that changed the estimated risk of recurrence in 27% of cases and in 8% this was to a higher (one in four) risk.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1996

Clinician beliefs underlying autopsy requests.

The aim of the study was to use psychological theory to identify and evaluate factors influencing clinical autopsy requests. A series of pilot interviews were conducted with 20 clinicians to identify beliefs about the benefits and drawbacks, social groups and circumstances influential in the decision to make an autopsy request. The most common beliefs, together with measures of intention to request autopsies, were incorporated into a questionnaire which was distributed among all appropriate clinicians in four hospitals. Statistical analyses identified which beliefs had the most influence on clinicians' intentions to request autopsies. A total of 145 clinicians returned the questionnaire, a response rate of 42%. Clinicians were significantly more likely to request autopsy the more they thought that the outcome of requesting would be of educational value, would confirm clinical diagnoses, would not distress relatives, would not be time-consuming and that the request itself would receive support from their consultant. An autopsy request was unlikely in circumstances where clinicians felt uncomfortable when requesting relatives' permission and when the patients were elderly. The fear of causing distress to relatives and the degree of support from the clinician's consultant were found to be the strongest predictors of intention to request autopsies. These are two areas in which intervention could help to increase autopsy request rates.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in frequency of cerebrovascular diseases in Oslo, Norway, 1958-1977. An autopsy study.

The frequency of lethal stroke was examined over a 20-year period in a large collection of autopsy material and was compared with the official mortality statistics for the same period. The frequency of lethal stroke in the autopsy material was calculated as a percentage of the total number of autopsied patients in the corresponding age groups. The frequency of strokes found in mortality statistics was calculated as a percentage of all deaths in the corresponding age groups. In the autopsy material the over-all stroke frequency fell by 14 percent. For patients between 40 and 69 years the decline was 25 percent while for patients over 70 years only a minor drop was observed. The most marked decline was 25 percent while for patients over 70 years only a minor drop was observed. The most marked decline was found for intracerebral hemorrhage which decreased by 70 percent in patients between 40 and 69 and by 33 percent for those over 70. For brain infarction the decline was 32 percent in the youngest age group while patients over 70 showed no decrease at all. MOrtality statistics showed a steady decline in the frequency of stroke death and the overall figures in the 2 sources were similar. Figures fo the stroke sub-groups (brain infarction and intracranial hemorrhage) were markedly different from those found in the autopsy records. Frequency of hemorrhage was several times greater than that of infarction in mortality statistics while the reverse was true in the autopsy records. The sources of error are discusses for both materials. It is concluded that the over-all figures for stroke deaths are largely reliable for both autopsy records and mortality statistics. In the mortality statistics the separate figures for hemorrhages and infarction were not correct and long term changes in frequency of these conditions would be interpreted with caution. The figures from the autopsy material are considered to be more reliable and it is concluded that the decline in hemorrhage and infarction described is real.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Clinical usefulness of the autopsy in elderly patients].

To determine the clinical usefulness of the autopsy in elderly patients, we studied a total of 231 autopsies performed during 1986 and 1995 at Jikeikai hospital. Autopsies were done after 231 of 609 deaths (38%). The autopsy rate in our hospital fell from 63% in 1986 to 17% in 1995. Most primary causes of deaths as established by clinicians before autopsy were pulmonary, neoplastic, and cardiovascular diseases. The probability of a major unexpected finding at autopsy was higher in acute pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular disease. No primary pathological cause of death was established by pathologists at autopsy in 13 cases (The clinical diagnoses in those patients were acute pneumonia in 5 patients, acute myocardial infarction in 2 patients, sepsis in 2 patients, bronchiale asthma, cerebral infarction, uremia, gastrointestinal bleeding each in 1 patient.) The mean age of these 13 patients was higher by 5 years than the age of the group as a whole. This indicate that elderly patients have many complications and that these deaths were caused by many small changes that were not be detected at autopsy. Latent cancer was found in 23 cases (12%): thyroid and colon cancer in 6 patients each, gastric cancer in 4, prostate cancer in 3, ovarian cancer in 2, and other cancers (renal, uterine, lung, urethral, pancreatis and liver) each 1 in patient.

Aged↗