Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Do centenarians die healthy? An autopsy study.

Andrea M Berzlanovich1, Wolfgang Keil, Thomas Waldhoer

  • 1Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria. andrea.berzlanovich@med.uni-muenchen.de

The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
|August 5, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Beyond weight loss: predictors of treatment satisfaction and patient-reported outcomes in incretin-based therapies. A cross-sectional study.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2026
Same author

Effects of auricular vagal neuromodulation therapy combined with slow-paced diaphragmatic breathing in individuals with postural tachycardia syndrome: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

BMJ open·2026
Same author

Navigating first- and second-line treatment options in HR+HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.

The oncologist·2026
Same author

[Antihyperglycemic treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (Update 2026)].

Wiener klinische Wochenschrift·2026
Same author

[Smoking and nicotine use, heated tobacco products, psychological and socioeconomic aspects of dependence, alcohol, infections, vaccination and diabetes mellitus (Update 2026)].

Wiener klinische Wochenschrift·2026
Same author

[Geriatric aspects of diabetes mellitus (Update 2026)].

Wiener klinische Wochenschrift·2026
Same journal

Life-course metabolic vulnerability and chronic kidney disease risk after early-life famine exposure in Middle-aged and older chinese adults.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2026
Same journal

Global prevalence, trends, and dose-response associations of polypharmacy in older adults.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2026
Same journal

Global Burden and Temporal Prediction of Intestinal Obstruction (1990-2021) and the Relationship with Blood Metabolites: An Integrated Analysis of GBD and Mendelian Randomization.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2026
Same journal

Exercise Promotes Glutamate Transporter-Mediated Glutamate Uptake in the Striatum to Regulate MSN Plasticity and Alleviate Behavioral and Functional Impairments in PD Rats.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2026
Same journal

Adolescent Dietary Restriction Improves Cognition and Frailty in Aged Female Wistar Rats.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2026
Same journal

Frailty, polypharmacy, deprescribing and 23-hour activity: insights from a mouse model.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2026
See all related articles

Centenarians, often perceived as healthy, die from acute organic failure, not simply old age. Autopsies reveal underlying diseases like cardiovascular issues as the cause of death in this age group.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Forensic Medicine
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Investigating causes of death in centenarians is crucial for understanding aging.
  • Demographic variables and health status prior to death in the oldest old are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of common causes of death in centenarians.
  • To identify demographic variables associated with mortality in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of autopsy reports and medical histories.
  • Inclusion criteria: individuals aged 100 years or older, deceased unexpectedly out-of-hospital.
  • Data collected over 18 years from 42,398 autopsies.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Forty centenarians (11 men, 29 women) identified; median age 102 years.
  • 100% experienced acute organic failure as cause of death.
  • Cardiovascular diseases (68%) were the most common cause, followed by respiratory (25%) and gastrointestinal (5%) disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Centenarians do not die merely from 'old age' but succumb to specific diseases.
  • Acute organic failure is consistently identified as the cause of death in centenarians.
  • Autopsy is essential for accurate cause-of-death determination in this age group.