Abstract |
The predictors of autopsy and the accuracy of European short list (E) codes of respiratory diseases lack recent knowledge. A 10% random sample (n=6811) of inhabitants of Bergen, Norway, aged 20-70 years, was invited to participate in a survey in 1965-1971 (participation rate 83%). By December 31, 2005, 4387 (64%) participants had died and 1163 (27% of the deceased) had been given an autopsy. Causes of death were tuberculosis (E02, 0.2%), lung malignancy (E15, 3.5%), influenza (E38, 0.2%), pneumonia ( E39, 6.5%) and chronic lower respiratory diseases (E40, 3.2%). Male sex, early deaths in the surveillance period and E15 were positive predictors of an autopsy examination, whereas old age and E39 were strong negative predictors. Among those referred for a post mortem examination, the cause of death was verified as tuberculosis in 0.3%, lung cancer in 8.1%, acute pneumonia in 2.0% and chronic obstructive lung diseases in 4.9%. Cohen's kappa coefficients (E codes versus autopsy) were 0.91 (95% CI 0.86-0.96) for E15, 0.37 (95% CI 0.20-0.54) for E39 and 0.65 (95% CI 0.54-0.76) for E40. These findings matter when deaths from respiratory diseases are used as end-points in epidemiological association studies and clinical trials.
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Authors | Anne K Gulsvik, Andreas H Henriksen, Einar Svendsen, Sjur Humerfelt, Amund Gulsvik |
Journal | The European respiratory journal
(Eur Respir J)
Vol. 45
Issue 4
Pg. 953-61
(Apr 2015)
ISSN: 1399-3003 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 25359344
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Validation Study)
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Copyright | Copyright ©ERS 2015. |
Topics |
- Adult
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Autopsy
- Cause of Death
- Confidence Intervals
- Databases, Factual
- Europe
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Mortality
(trends)
- Norway
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Respiratory Tract Diseases
(diagnosis, mortality, pathology)
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Assessment
- Sex Factors
- Urban Population
- Young Adult
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