title: Gender-associated findings in postmortem examinations of elderly patients: an increased rate of pulmonary embolism in women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While age at death is on the rise, the number of postmortem examinations is declining and is disproportionately low among the elderly population. Research on, the subject of gender-associated pathology in the elderly is also scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To seek eventual gender-related differences in autopsies of elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the data extracted from a published report on 93 PMEs performed at a geriatric hospital during the past 20 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-three autopsies, representing 1.2% of the 8,101 deaths during these 20 years, were performed. Forty-five of the deceased were women and 48 were men. The incidence of pulmonary embolism was significantly higher in women (28%) than in men (10%) (P < 0.02). There was no significant difference in the gender distribution of the other diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender distribution of PME-based causes of death in elderly patients revealed a significant rate of pulmonary embolism in women. A thorough search of the medical literature revealed two previous studies with similar findings. Further research will determine whether pulmonary embolism is more frequent or whether it has a worse prognosis in frail elderly women.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Medical Center, Shmuel Harofeh Hospital, Beer Yaakov, Israel.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leibovitz
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blumenfeld
authors.forename: Rephael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lubart
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baumoehl
authors.forename: Beni
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Habot
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors