OBJECTIVE
Determination of the leading causes of death based on data from primary medical death certificates (MDCs) depending on the place of death.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
From the electronic database of the Main Department of the Civil Registry Office of the Moscow Region (the USR registry office system) for 2021, all cases were selected in which diseases were indicated as the primary cause of death (PCD); all codes of external causes, injuries and poisonings were excluded. A total of 109.126 cases, 50.6% died in the hospital, 34% died at home, and 16.4% died elsewhere. Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination (BFME) issued 45.2% of MSS. Taking into account the frequency of use of ICD codes, the clinical similarity of individual codes, 20 groups were formed, which accounted for 90.1% of deaths from diseases.
RESULTS
The frequency of registration of individual groups of causes of death largely depends on the place of death. 5 leading groups of causes of death were established: 1) in general from COVID-19 23.55%, chronic ischemic heart disease (CIHD-1) without postinfarction cardiosclerosis, aneurysm and ischemic cardiomyopathy (CMP) 14.5%, from encephalopathy indefinite (EI) 11.4%, malignant neoplasms (MN) 11.3%, stroke 6.2%; 2) in a hospital from COVID-19 45%, stroke 10%, MN 8.3%; CIHD-1 7.1%, CIHD with a history of MI/ischemic CMP 2.7%; 3) at home from CIHD-1 21.8%, EI 21.5%, MN 15.5%, from diseases associated with alcohol 3.3% and brain cyst 3.3%; 4) elsewhere from CIHD-1 22.7%, EI 21.6%, MN 12%, from other forms of acute coronary artery disease 5.4%, alcohol-associated diseases 4.8%. Acute MI ranked 6th among deaths in general — 2.7%. PCD is also associated with the place of issue of the MDCs — 90% of the MDC with the indication of EI and «other degenerative diseases of the nervous system» as the cause of death were issued by the BFME. Not a single MDC issued by the BFME contained such PCDs as “old age” or “brain cyst”.
CONCLUSION
The nosological structure of the causes of death and the issuance of individual ICD codes in the MDC as a PCD varies significantly depending on the place of death and the issuance of the MDC. The reasons need to be further clarified. The use of codes that are not permitted for use has been registered.
