The DOI matches its Crossref record; 15 of the 15 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands
Open accessAbstract
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.
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Universally low autopsy rates preclude post-mortem diagnosis of AMI in most missed cases.
“Universally low autopsy rates [14, 15] preclude post-mortem diagnosis of AMI in most missed cases.”
From Incidence, diagnosis, management and outcome of acute mesenteric ischaemia: a prospective, multicentre observational study (AMESI Study) (2024) · cites this paper as [14]
The paper’s Abstract reports that autopsy rates have declined worldwide and that the Dutch rate fell from 7.07% in 1991 to 2.73% in 2015. It also notes persistent discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses. It does not establish that rates are universally low or that low rates preclude post-mortem diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in most missed cases. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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Changes in Rates of Autopsy-Detected Diagnostic Errors Over Time
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Clinical, educational, and epidemiological value of autopsy
Burton, J. L., & Underwood, J. (2007) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(07)60376-6 · Cited by 440
Hospital autopsy: Endangered or extinct?
Turnbull, A., Osborn, M., & Nicholas, N. (2015) · Journal of Clinical Pathology · doi:10.1136/jclinpath-2014-202700 · Cited by 146
The value of autopsies in the era of high-tech medicine: discrepant findings persist
Kuijpers, C. C. H. J., Fronczek, J., van de Goot, F. R. W., Niessen, H. W. M., van Diest, P. J., & Jiwa, M. (2014) · Journal of Clinical Pathology · doi:10.1136/jclinpath-2013-202122 · Cited by 107
The medical autopsy as quality assurance tool in clinical medicine: dreams and realities
van den Tweel, J. G., & Wittekind, C. (2015) · Archiv für Pathologische Anatomie und Physiologie und für Klinische Medicin · doi:10.1007/s00428-015-1833-5 · Cited by 85
Bootstrap confidence intervals for the sensitivity of a quantitative diagnostic test
Platt, R. W., Hanley, J. A., & Yang, H. (2000) · Statistics in Medicine · doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0258(20000215)19:3 · Cited by 83
Autopsy rates in the Netherlands: 35 years of decline
Blokker, B. M., Weustink, A. C., Hunink, M. G. M., et al. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0178200 · Cited by 76
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Diagnostic errors in the new millennium: a follow-up autopsy study
Schwanda-Burger, S., Moch, H., Muntwyler, J., & Salomon, F. (2012) · Modern Pathology · doi:10.1038/modpathol.2011.199 · Cited by 70
Aging in The Netherlands: State of the Art and Science
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Obduktionszahlen in Deutschland
Grassow-Narlik, M., Wessolly, M., & Friemann, J. (2017) · Der Pathologe · doi:10.1007/s00292-017-0340-7 · Cited by 22
The death of the hospital autopsy in Australia? The hospital autopsy rate is declining dramatically
Raut, A., Andrici, J., Severino, A., et al. (2016) · Pathology · doi:10.1016/j.pathol.2016.08.004 · Cited by 13
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Reintam Blaser, A., Mändul, M., Björck, M., Acosta, S., Bala, M., Bodnar, Z., Casian, D., Demetrashvili, Z., D’Oria, M., Durán Muñoz-Cruzado, V., et al. (2024) · Critical Care · doi:10.1186/s13054-024-04807-4 · Cited by 75
Metadata
- Authors
- Latten, B. G. H., Overbeek, L. I. H., Kubat, B., zur Hausen, A., & Schouten, L. J.
- Affiliations
- Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
- Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
- Maastricht University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Latten, Bartholomeus G. H.
- Venue
- European Journal of Epidemiology
- Published
- 2019-11-14
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1171-1174
- ISSN
- 0393-2990 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-7284
- OpenAlex
- W2983726072
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 1.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Organ Donation and Transplantation
- Keywords
- autopsy rates, age at death, sex differences, mortality registry, Netherlands
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Autopsy, Cause of Death, Child, Preschool, Female, Forensic Medicine, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Retrospective Studies, Prevalence, Hospital Mortality, Young Adult
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