Pre-existing diseases and causes of death in elderly people aged 80 or older performed in a death verification service in Florianópolis (2012–2022)

Abstract

Objective: To analyze pre-existing diseases and causes of death of elderly people aged 80 or over, autopsied at a Death Verification Service (SVO) in Florianopolis, from 2012 to 2022, according to sex. Methods: Cross-sectional study with data obtained through digital Death Certificates, made available by the SVO. Pre-existing diseases were separated into groups and the causes of death by significance in the event. Results: 2,402 medical records were analyzed, 60.7% of which were from women. Women, compared to men, demonstrated a higher mean age (87.9 vs 86.1 years) and frequency of the following pre-existing diseases/conditions: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) (24.0% vs 17.3%), overweight (3.1% vs 1.7%), Alzheimer’s Disease (12.7% vs 9.7%) and Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) (51.5% vs 43.4%); senility (2.3% vs 0.7%) prevailed as cause of death B and DM (1.8% vs 0.4%) as cause of death D. Men demonstrated a higher frequency of previous diseases, cancer (13.3% vs 7.5%), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (5.8% vs 3.3%) and pulmonary congestion (8.4% vs 6.2%); pulmonary congestion and edema (10.7% vs 7.6%) prevailed as cause of death A; dilated cardiomyopathy (5.6% vs 3.3%) as cause of death B; and pulmonary edema and congestion (1.8% vs 0.8%) as cause of death D. Men showed a higher frequency of previous diseases, cancer (13.3% vs 7.5%), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (5.8% vs 3.3%) and pulmonary congestion (8.4% vs 6.2%); pulmonary congestion and edema (10.7% vs 7.6%) prevailed as cause of death A; dilated cardiomyopathy (5.6% vs 3.3%) as cause of death B; and pulmonary edema and congestion (1.8% vs 0.8%) as cause of death D. Conclusions: chronic non-communicable diseases prevailed among pre-existing diseases and causes of death in the elderly evaluated. Men were more affected by pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases than women.