The dynamical evolution of short-period objects having perihelia at small heliocentric distances is discussed. We have investigated the motion of multiple-apparition members of the Marsden and Kracht sungrazing groups. The orbital evolution of these objects on timescales < 10 Kyr is mainly determined by the Kozai-Lidov secular perturbations. These objects are dynamically connected with high-inclination near-Earth objects. On the other hand, we have found several observed near-Earth objects that evolve in the same way, reaching small perihelion distances on short timescales in the past.

The orbital evolution of the whole sample sample of short-period comets was computed by numerical integrations for a time interval of 2000 yr centered on the present epoch. This data base is intended to serve in various studies involving the statistics of orbital evolution and correlation with physical parameters or discovery circumstances. We present some results concerning the following aspects: the evolution of the orbital elements and their past-future asymmetry, statistics on the discovery of comets and on the encounters of comets with Jupiter.