Causes of death among 936 elderly patients with 'pure' anxiety neurosis in Stockholm County, Sweden, and in patients with depressive neurosis or both diagnoses.

The survival probability and distribution of causes of death were estimated among all 255 male and 685 female inpatients with "pure" anxiety neurosis in Stockholm County between 1969 and 1986 who had survived until 71 years of age. When controlling for sex, age, time period, and catchment area, we found three determined suicides among the men (v 0.8 expected) and four suicides among the women (v 1.1 expected). The shift in the distribution of causes of death was significant in women (P = .024). There were 55 heart deaths among the men versus 46.1 expected. Among 2,331 patients with depressive neurosis and among 1,641 patients with both anxiety and depressive neuroses, suicides were more common than expected in both elderly men and women.