[Changes in mortality in the Reims University Hospital Dermatology Department (1996-2009)].

BACKGROUND

End-of-life care is becoming a daily concern of French dermatology departments. The aim of this single-centre retrospective study was to assess changes in mortality and end-of-life care in a university dermatology department over a 14-year period.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The medical records of all patients dying in our dermatology department from 1996 to 2009 were studied retrospectively. A descriptive analysis was performed together with a comparison between the two periods demarcated by the institution of the French National Cancer Plan at the end of 2002.

RESULTS

The number of patients dying in the department rose by 33% from 108 for period 1 (1996-2002) to 144 for period 2 (2003-2009). The majority of patients presented metastatic melanoma, with doubling of numbers between the two periods. During period 2, 40 % of patients were managed in collaboration with the mobile palliative care team.

CONCLUSION

This study shows an increase in the number of deaths in a French university hospital dermatology department over the 14-year period in question, ascribable mainly to an increase in the number of patients receiving end-of-life care for metastatic melanoma. Significant changes were noted in the management of these patients with an increase in palliative care procedures.