THE POSTMORTEM INCIDENCE OF SENILE ECCHYMOSES

Although senile ecchymoses are a well-recognized phenomenon on hospita l wards, in patients who die in other settings they may be wrongly int erpreted as bruising caused by physical assault. Therefore, we studied a total of 410 elderly ( > 50 years of age) patients by a prospective examination of autopsy reports to elucidate their nature, including t heir general frequency, their anatomical distribution, and their physi cal appearance. We found a clear association with increasing age and a common distribution on the arms, rather than the neck or legs. One un ique finding is that ecchymoses are.related to place of residence, in that less mobile elderly persons are more likely to develop this condi tion, possibly as a result of lifting.