Diogenes or Havisham syndrome and the mortuary

Byard, Roger W.

doi:10.1007/s12024-013-9458-y

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…These individuals self-isolate, and therefore may not be found until much later post-mortem. This can make specific causes of death difficult to determine [ 10 ]. This paper identifies that these patients can present due to a variety of reasons, and sometimes only by chance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recognizing Diogenes syndrome: a case report

Irvine

Nwachukwu

2014

BMC Res Notes

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BackgroundDiogenes syndrome is a behavioural disorder characterized by domestic squalor, extreme self-neglect, hoarding, and lack of shame regarding one’s living condition. Patients may present due to a range of reasons. Recognizing these will allow for earlier management of this high-mortality condition.Case presentation61-year Caucasian female known with bipolar 1 disorder presented with manic symptoms. She was very unkempt and foul smelling. After being admitted involuntarily, she requested that someone go to her home to feed her pets. Her house was filled with garbage, rotting food, and animal feces. She had no insight into any personal hygiene or public health problems.ConclusionsPatients with Diogenes syndrome may be difficult to identify. Knowledge of the characteristics of Diogenes syndrome can aid in earlier recognition of such individuals, in order to decrease morbidity and mortality, and to improve public health.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recognizing Diogenes syndrome: a case report

Irvine

Nwachukwu

2014

BMC Res Notes

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“…In Case 1, the reclusive nature of the decedent suggested Diogenes or Havisham syndrome where an individual often shuns social and medical contact. 8,9 Similar cases have been reported where death resulted from local tumour complications in individuals who voluntarily chose to socially isolate. 10 While no psychiatric history was documented in either case medical assessment may have revealed mental health issues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Lethal giant basal cell carcinoma

2021

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Basal cell carcinomas are the most common malignancy in Caucasian populations with a very low predisposition to metastatic disease and an excellent prognosis if appropriately treated. Given the rarity of a lethal outcome two cases are reported. Case 1: A 61-year-old reclusive man who had an untreated facial basal cell carcinoma for 10 years died of hypothermia and sepsis complicating the extensively ulcerated and infected tumour. He also had underlying cardiomegaly, ischaemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Case 2: A 60-year-old man who had an untreated lower lumbar basal cell carcinoma for 14 years died of sepsis, inanition and pulmonary thromboembolism (due to a right-sided deep venous thrombosis) complicating the deeply ulcerated tumour. Untreated giant basal cell carcinoma may uncommonly present for medicolegal assessment with complex pathophysiological lethal mechanisms. The possibility of Diogenes syndrome should be considered.

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“…It is important in both true hoarding environments and environments of a similar nature to document the presence of squalor, as it may also increase the decedents' mortality. 3,4,7 Hoarders, like many in our study, live alone in isolation and very rarely present for treatment of their mental and general health conditions. [8][9][10] Like other psychiatric illnesses, significant comorbidity exists with additional psychiatric diagnoses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…2 Older terms referring to hoarding disorder or disorders associated with pathological hoarding include syllogomania (compulsive accumulation/collectionism), Diogenes syndrome, Havisham syndrome, and senile squalor syndrome. 3 The syndromes all involve severe self-neglect, squalid living conditions, an element of mental health disease or dementia, and, in many cases, hoarding behavior. 3,4 Numerous studies have found that hoarding disorder is associated with increased mortality.…”

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confidence: 99%

Characteristics of Deaths With Evidence of Pathological Hoarding in Cook County 2017 to 2018

Waters

Eckhardt

Eason

2021

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

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Hoarding disorder was recently recognized as an independent diagnosis; it is characterized by the accumulation of objects causing a functional impairment and is commonly associated with increased risk of injury or death. Limited data exist about deaths of persons found in hoarding environments. This study investigated the characteristics and circumstances surrounding deaths found in "hoarding" environments. Using the electronic record management system, a search for the term "hoard" from 2017 to 2018 identified 138 cases. The mean age was 67 years, 56% were male, 76% were White, and 86% of decedents lived alone. Decomposition was noted in 61% of cases. A full autopsy was performed in 36 cases (26%); natural was the most common manner of death (80%), followed by accident (14%). Cases in which hoarding was thought to be contributory to the cause of death occurred in 5 cases. A qualitative hoard evaluation was done on 29 cases (21%) with available photographs. A hoarding level was assigned using the Clutter Hoarding Scale with an average of 3.39/5. Overall, the analysis showed deaths in pathological hoarding environments appeared to impact all socioeconomic groups and was associated with increased risk of accidental death and being found in a state of decomposition.

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Diogenes or Havisham syndrome and the mortuary

Cited by 14 publications

References 14 publications

Recognizing Diogenes syndrome: a case report

Recognizing Diogenes syndrome: a case report

Lethal giant basal cell carcinoma

Characteristics of Deaths With Evidence of Pathological Hoarding in Cook County 2017 to 2018

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