Patients With APECED Have Increased Early Mortality Due to Endocrine Causes, Malignancies and infections

CONTEXT: Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is an autoimmune endocrinopathy with severe and unpredictable course. The impact of APECED on mortality has not been determined. OBJECTIVE: To assess overall and cause-specific mortality of patients with APECED. DESIGN AND SETTING: A follow-up study of Finnish patients with APECED from 1971 to 2018. Causes and dates of death were collected from Finnish registries. PATIENTS: Ninety-one patients with APECED. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Overall and cause-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) determined by comparing the observed numbers of death and those expected on the basis of respective population death rates in Finland. RESULTS: The overall disease mortality was significantly increased (29 deaths, SMR 11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.2-16; P < 0.001). The relative risk (SMR) was highest in the youngest age groups but the absolute excess risk was similar (about 10 per 10 000 person-years) in all age categories. The highest SMRs were seen for endocrine and metabolic diseases (SMR 570; 95% CI, 270-1000; P < 0.001) and for oral and esophageal malignancies (SMR 170; 95% CI, 68-360; P < 0.001). Mortality was also increased for infections, diseases of digestive system, alcohol-related deaths, and for accidents. Due to the small number of cases we were unable to evaluate whether mortality was affected by disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with APECED have significantly increased mortality in all age groups. Highest SMRs are found for causes that are directly related to APECED but also for infections. Increased alcohol- and accident-related deaths may be influenced by psychosocial factors.