Changes in underlying causes of death during 85 years of autopsy practice in Trieste

In 1901, 20% of autopsied subjects in Trieste were under the age of 30 and 28.8% were over 70. By 1985, only 0.2% were under 30 years of age and 74.5% over 70. An analysis of autopsy reports for 1901 reveals that the primary causes of death at that time were tuberculosis (22.4%), acute pulmonary infections (13.7%) and malignant neoplasms (10.6%). Other pathological conditions found at autopsy were infectious lesions (10.4%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (10.2%), arteriosclerosis (only 6.4%), syphilis (4.7%), nutritional deficiency (4.7%), cirrhosis of the liver (4.6%) and acute infections (1.1%). Overall, infectious diseases accounted for 55% of deaths in 1901. In 1985, the cause of death was infection in only 3.7% of cases. During the period analysed, the percentage of deaths from cancer tripled and mean length of survival increased by more than 20 years. In 1901, the neoplasms found most frequently were gastric cancer in males (17.9%) and cancers of the uterus and ovary in females (both 13%). Lung cancer accounted for 7.7% of all deaths from malignant neoplasms in males, and breast cancer for 10.8% of such deaths among females. By 1985, lung cancer accounted for 32.4% of deaths from malignant neoplasms among males and breast cancer for 18% among females. Between 1901 and 1985, there were highly significant increases in the numbers of deaths due to arteriosclerosis and to malignant neoplasms in people of each sex.