Abstract

We retrospectively evaluated the death cases in our clinics from January 1988 to January 2001 years for determining the rates and causes of mortality. Demographic characteristics of the patients and the causes of death were obtained from the patients’ files. The order of basic, intermediate and final causes of death proposed by WHO, and the documentation of accuracy of cause were checked. In the last 13 years, 306 (3.23%) of total 9464 inpatient cases died in our clinics during this period. 213 files could be obtained. Of these, 148 (69.5%) were men and 65 (30.5%) were women; the mean age was 59±15 years (14-94 years). The mortality rate was variable throughout the years, being markedly increased in the last years (1.99% in 1988 and 6.01% in 2000). The cause of death was accurately documented in 116 (54.5%) cases, but basic, intermediate and final causes of death were not properly documented in any of the cases. The basic, intermediate and final causes of death were retrospectively determined. According to this, while the basic- causes of death were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (36.2%), lung cancer (18.8%) and pneumonia (9.9%); the final- causes of death were chronic cor pulmonale (35.2%), pneumonia (18.3%) and pulmonary thromboembolism (9.4%). The most evident risk factor was cigarette smoking (62.9%; average: 42 packs/year). As a conclusion, we observed that the mortality rate was increased in the recent years and we think that the knowledge of rates and causes of mortality of every clinic could be beneficial in terms of approach to patients, and the documentation of basic, intermediate and final causes of death proposed by WHO is necessary for the future epidemiological studies.