Assessment of Clinical Conditions Associated With Splenic Infarction in Adult Patients
Allan S. Brett, Neda Azizzadeh, Emily M. Miller, Robert J. Collins, Mary Beth Seegars, Matthew A. Marcus
Abstract
Yet little is known regarding determinants of nonforensic autopsy rates. In this issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, Gupta et al 4 provide contemporary, nationwide data on the association of race with the use of clinical autopsy. Using a national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention death database, the investigators found an overall 7.9% autopsy rate among more than 20 million total decedents between 2008 and 2017, which is less than half the autopsy rate in the 1970s. Moreover, rates continued to decrease during the decade of study for all causes of death except those associated with diabetes. The overall autopsy rate was significantly higher in black (12.7%) than white (7.3%) decedents and higher in black individuals for all causes of death.