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Non-neoplastic skin disease mortality occurred most often among elderly

Mortality from non-neoplastic skin disease was uncommon but occurred primarily in elderly patients, with chronic ulcers and cellulitis constituting common underlying causes, according to recent study results.

Researchers conducted a population-based study by calculating absolute numbers of death and age-adjusted mortality, patient demographics and the 10 most commonly reported diagnoses using death certificate data that included mortality from non-neoplastic skin disease from 1999 to 2009.

Non-neoplastic skin disease was reported as the underlying cause of death for approximately 3,948 patients and as a contributing cause for 19,452 patients per year. Black/African-American patients had significantly greater age-adjusted underlying cause mortality (3.4 per 100,000 person-deaths), as did women (1.4 per 100,000 person-deaths) and Southern residents (1.6 per 100,000 person-deaths; P<.0001 for all). A significantly larger number of deaths occurred in patients aged 65 years and older vs. younger age cohorts (34,248 deaths; approximately 80%; P<.0001). Chronic ulcers (1,789 deaths/year) and cellulitis (1,348 deaths/year) were the most common underlying causes of death.

Possible errors in documentation, coding and misattribution of underlying and contributing causes of death could limit the study’s accuracy and generalizability, the researchers reported.

“Future research using patient-level health information and autopsy data is needed to provide more precise and risk-adjusted estimates from neoplastic skin disease,” the researchers concluded. “Nonetheless, we believe this study underscores the clinical and public health relevance of non-neoplastic skin disorders as potentially preventable causes of death in the United States.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.