Objective:To explore the death anxiety of the elderly in Macau and identify the relevant factors and the content of death anxiety.Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted and the Chinese Version of Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (CTDAS) was used to investigate 400 old people in seven elderly centers by trained investigators.Results:Totally 400 questionnaires were returned and the death anxiety in Macau elderly was at a relatively low level (4.38 ± 3.20).Gender,age,and perceived health status were related to death anxiety (P ＜ 0.05).The majority of Macau elderly were not afraid of death (83.7％) but were anxious about the pains and sufferings in the dying process (61.8％).Conclusion:The elderly in Macau are open and positive towards death,which is conducive to further exploring the coping style of death anxiety and the preparation for their own death.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical and genetic features of familiar amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP).

METHODSThree families of suspected FAP in China mainland and Macau were investigated on aspects of clinical manifestations, histological features, and gene analysis.

RESULTSAll the 3 families had the clinical features of sensory and motor polyneuropathies, and notable vegetative nerve involvements. Affected cases of one family had ultrasound proved cardiomyopathy. Histological studies showed amyloid deposition in all the biopsy tissues of the affected cases of the 3 families, and anti-transthyretin antisera staining was positive in 3 cases of one family. Gene analysis confirmed that mutation types were amyloidogenic transthyretin (ATTR) Val30Met, Phe33Val, and Gly67Glu in the 3 families respectively. The ATTR Gly67Glu family had a shorter survival time due to the heart involvement compared with the other 2 families.

CONCLUSIONFAP is an autosomal dominant inherited disease, with its clinical manifestations related to the type of genetic mutation.

Adult ; Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial ; genetics ; pathology ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Prealbumin ; genetics