title: [Mortality and cause of death in a 20-year follow-up of the Basel study].
abstract: The results of a mortality follow-up in the Basle Study (BS) for the period 1965-1986 are presented, involving data of 4224 males and 936 females. The autopsy rate was 60% and allowed confirmation of the death certificates. The mortality rate of BS men is considerably higher (22% = 928 male) than that of the - on the average younger-females (9.2% = 87 female). In the male cohort the age-specific 10-year mortality is lower than in the general Swiss population due to a lower incidence of various diseases and accidents with fatal outcome and a lower incidence of cardiovascular death. On the other hand, a higher tumor incidence in the BS cohort from the age of 55 years on can be noted. This is mainly due to a higher frequency of lung cancer. With increasing duration of the follow-up the difference between the mortality of the general Swiss population and the BS participants diminishes. The higher tumor incidence observed could be explained by more accurate diagnoses in the BS group. Consequently, the Basel study cohort could-in relation to mortality data-be considered representative of the Swiss population.
authors.affiliation: Medizinisch-geriatrische Klinik, Universität Basel.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Stähelin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thurneysen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buess
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rösel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eichholzer-Helbling
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torhorst
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Widmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D012737:Sex Factors; D013557:Switzerland
vernacular_title: Todesfälle und Todesursachen im 20-Jahres-Follow-Up der Basler Studie.