Autopsy patterns in patients dying of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in New York City

The autopsy rate was examined for patients dying of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in New York City from 1982 through 1986 to determine if individuals dying of AIDS had autopsy rates that differed from the general population. Using data from death certificates, verified by hospital records, autopsy rates for various diseases and causes of death were examined in persons aged 25 to 44 years, which represents the age group with the majority of AIDS deaths. The hospital autopsy rate for those patients dying of AIDS dropped from 46% in 1982 to 17% in 1986, while the rate for non-AIDS autopsies went from 23% in 1982 to 15% in 1986. These declines have occurred despite the continued presence of a major epidemic in which the pathophysiology is still under active investigation. The low autopsy rate for patients with AIDS is of concern to both epidemiologists and clinical researchers: the autopsy is vital to a better understanding of the spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus infection.