Table 3.

Cause of death of MSA patients according to disease onset.

Cause of death	Total (131) N (%)	Autonomic failure (81) N (%)	Cerebellar ataxia or parkinsonism (50) N (%)	P-value#
Respiratory infection	86(65.6)	50(61.7)	36(72.0)	0.229
Choking	2(1.5)	1(1.2)	1(2.0)	1.000
Urinary tract infection	4(3.1)	4(4.9)	0(0.0)	0.283
Nutritional disorder	12(9.2)	9(11.1)	3(6.0)	0.501
Lymphoma	1(0.8)	0(0.0)	1(2.0)	0.382
Cerebrovascular accident	2(1.5)	2(2.5)	0(0.0)	0.524
Myocardial infarction	2(1.5)	0(0.0)	2(4.0)	0.144
Suicide	3(2.3)	3(3.7)	0(0.0)	0.438
Sudden death	19(14.5)	12(14.8)	7(14.0)	0.898
Nighttime	7(5.3)	4(4.9)	3(6.0)	1.000
Daytime	12(9.2)	8(9.9)	4(8.0)	0.960

^#Chi-square or Fischer exact test.

MSA, multiple system atrophy.