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Wojcik MH, Krous HF, Goldstein RD. Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood: Current Understanding. Pediatr Emerg Care 2023; 39:979-983. [PMID: 38019718 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000003074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Sudden unexplained death in childhood is a term that encompasses apparently natural deaths in children aged older than 1 year with no discernible cause despite a thorough assessment. Definitive underlying causes vary but most cases remain largely unexplained. Research has furthered the view that sudden unexplained death in childhood is not an accident, but rather a sentinel medical event for which a thorough postmortem investigation is indicated. Emerging evidence in genetics, neurology, and neuropathology point to heterogeneous causes that in some cases share features of recognized diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henry F Krous
- Professor, University of California at San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA
| | - Richard D Goldstein
- Associate Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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2
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Aquila I, Sacco MA, Gorniak J, Rouse M, Gualtieri S, Cordasco F, Tarallo AP, Raffaele R, Ricci P. Unexplained and Unexpected Pediatric Deaths: Forensic Review and New Perspectives. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3111. [PMID: 37835854 PMCID: PMC10572571 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13193111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Unexplained and unexpected pediatric deaths are a major challenge in global healthcare. The role of the forensic pathologist is crucial in determining the cause and manner of death in these cases, although to date, there are many limitations in post-mortem diagnosis. The role of the autopsy and related forensic investigations become a fundamental tool to investigate and give an explanation for an unacceptable event, considering the young age of the victims. From this point of view, even today, it is necessary that this phenomenon is correctly recorded through standardized systems and universally accepted methods. Furthermore, it is essential that scientific research on this topic is increased through the implementation of universally accepted operating protocols recognizing real risk factors in order to prevent such events. The purpose of the study is to offer a review of the state of the art about unexplained pediatric death and, above all, to propose an international reporting platform, extending proper investigations not only to judicial cases but also to all the other cases of unexpected pediatric death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Aquila
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
| | - Matteo Antonio Sacco
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
| | - Jan Gorniak
- Clark County Office of Coroner Medical Examiner, 1704 Pinto Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA; (J.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Melanie Rouse
- Clark County Office of Coroner Medical Examiner, 1704 Pinto Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA; (J.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Saverio Gualtieri
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
| | - Fabrizio Cordasco
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
| | - Alessandro Pasquale Tarallo
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
| | - Roberto Raffaele
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
| | - Pietrantonio Ricci
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (F.C.); (A.P.T.); (R.R.); (P.R.)
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3
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Kotta M, Torchio M, Bayliss P, Cohen MC, Quarrell O, Wheeldon N, Marton T, Gentilini D, Crotti L, Coombs RC, Schwartz PJ. Cardiac Genetic Investigation of Sudden Infant and Early Childhood Death: A Study From Victims to Families. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e029100. [PMID: 37589201 PMCID: PMC10547337 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.029100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Background Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death up to age 1. Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is similar but affects mostly toddlers aged 1 to 4. SUDC is rarer than SIDS, and although cardiogenetic testing (molecular autopsy) identifies an underlying cause in a fraction of SIDS, less is known about SUDC. Methods and Results Seventy-seven SIDS and 16 SUDC cases underwent molecular autopsy with 25 definitive-evidence arrhythmia-associated genes. In 18 cases, another 76 genes with varying degrees of evidence were analyzed. Parents were offered cascade screening. Double-blind review of clinical-genetic data established genotype-phenotype correlations. The yield of likely pathogenic variants in the 25 genes was higher in SUDC than in SIDS (18.8% [3/16] versus 2.6% [2/77], respectively; P=0.03), whereas novel/ultra-rare variants of uncertain significance were comparably represented. Rare variants of uncertain significance and likely benign variants were found only in SIDS. In cases with expanded analyses, likely pathogenic/likely benign variants stemmed only from definitive-evidence genes, whereas all other genes contributed only variants of uncertain significance. Among 24 parents screened, variant status and phenotype largely agreed, and 3 cases positively correlated for cardiac channelopathies. Genotype-phenotype correlations significantly aided variant adjudication. Conclusions Genetic yield is higher in SUDC than in SIDS although, in both, it is contributed only by definitive-evidence genes. SIDS/SUDC cascade family screening facilitates establishment or dismissal of a diagnosis through definitive variant adjudication indicating that anonymity is no longer justifiable. Channelopathies may underlie a relevant fraction of SUDC. Binary classifications of genetic causality (pathogenic versus benign) could not always be adequate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria‐Christina Kotta
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
| | - Margherita Torchio
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
| | - Pauline Bayliss
- Department of Clinical GeneticsSheffield Children’s NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Marta C. Cohen
- Department of HistopathologySheffield Children’s NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Oliver Quarrell
- Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Nigel Wheeldon
- Cardiothoracic CentreNorthern General Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Tamás Marton
- Cellular Pathology DepartmentBirmingham Women’s and Children’s HospitalBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Davide Gentilini
- Bioinformatics and Statistical Genetics UnitIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
| | - Lia Crotti
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Robert C. Coombs
- Department of NeonatologySheffield Teaching Hospitals. NHS TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Peter J. Schwartz
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
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Godoy M, Maher M. A ten-year retrospective case review of risk factors associated with sleep-related infant deaths. Acta Paediatr 2022; 111:1176-1185. [PMID: 35124846 DOI: 10.1111/apa.16281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM The study aimed to identify risk factors associated with sleep-related deaths of infants (0-24 months) in the province of Manitoba, Canada, between January 2009 and December 2018. METHODS A systematic retrospective case review of autopsies and administrative records in Manitoba between 2009 and 2018. RESULTS A total of 145 infants died in cases where unsafe sleep environments were known to have contributed to or resulted in their death and where no explained medical causes were identified. Where data complete, all infants had at least one known risk factor for sleep-related deaths, and 96% had multiple. The most common risk factors increased over time and included objects in the sleeping environment (90% of cases), not approved sleep surfaces (77%) and bedsharing (50%). Indigenous infants, infants of young mothers and infants in low-income neighbourhoods are overrepresented. Risk factors for Indigenous infants differed from cases involving non-Indigenous infants. CONCLUSION A high proportion of sleep-related infant deaths were associated with not approved sleep surfaces and bedsharing, especially for infants under one year. Families in low-income neighbourhoods, Indigenous families and families with young mothers were disproportionately affected by sleep-related infant deaths. There is a need to enhance messaging and smoking cessation messaging in Indigenous communities to prevent sleep-related deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Godoy
- Office of the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth Winnipeg Canada
| | - Matthew Maher
- Office of the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth Winnipeg Canada
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Leitner DF, William C, Faustin A, Askenazi M, Kanshin E, Snuderl M, McGuone D, Wisniewski T, Ueberheide B, Gould L, Devinsky O. Proteomic differences in hippocampus and cortex of sudden unexplained death in childhood. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:585-599. [PMID: 35333953 PMCID: PMC8953962 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02414-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is death of a child over 1 year of age that is unexplained after review of clinical history, circumstances of death, and complete autopsy with ancillary testing. Multiple etiologies may cause SUDC. SUDC and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) share clinical and pathological features, suggesting some similarities in mechanism of death and possible abnormalities in hippocampus and cortex. To identify molecular signaling pathways, we performed label-free quantitative mass spectrometry on microdissected frontal cortex, hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), and cornu ammonis (CA1-3) in SUDC (n = 19) and pediatric control cases (n = 19) with an explained cause of death. At a 5% false discovery rate (FDR), we found differential expression of 660 proteins in frontal cortex, 170 in DG, and 57 in CA1-3. Pathway analysis of altered proteins identified top signaling pathways associated with activated oxidative phosphorylation (p = 6.3 × 10-15, z = 4.08) and inhibited EIF2 signaling (p = 2.0 × 10-21, z = - 2.56) in frontal cortex, and activated acute phase response in DG (p = 8.5 × 10-6, z = 2.65) and CA1-3 (p = 4.7 × 10-6, z = 2.00). Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) of clinical history indicated that SUDC-positive post-mortem virology (n = 4/17) had the most significant module in each brain region, with the top most significant associated with decreased mRNA metabolic processes (p = 2.8 × 10-5) in frontal cortex. Additional modules were associated with clinical history, including fever within 24 h of death (top: increased mitochondrial fission in DG, p = 1.8 × 10-3) and febrile seizure history (top: decreased small molecule metabolic processes in frontal cortex, p = 8.8 × 10-5) in all brain regions, neuropathological hippocampal findings in the DG (top: decreased focal adhesion, p = 1.9 × 10-3). Overall, cortical and hippocampal protein changes were present in SUDC cases and some correlated with clinical features. Our studies support that proteomic studies of SUDC cohorts can advance our understanding of the pathogenesis of these tragedies and may inform the development of preventive strategies.
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Leitner DF, McGuone D, William C, Faustin A, Askenazi M, Snuderl M, Guzzetta M, Jarrell HS, Maloney K, Reichard R, Smith C, Weedn V, Wisniewski T, Gould L, Devinsky O. Blinded review of hippocampal neuropathology in sudden unexplained death in childhood reveals inconsistent observations and similarities to explained paediatric deaths. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 48:e12746. [PMID: 34164845 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Hippocampal findings are implicated in the pathogenesis of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), although some studies have identified similar findings in sudden explained death in childhood (SEDC) cases. We blindly reviewed hippocampal histology in SUDC and SEDC controls. METHODS Hippocampal haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) slides (n = 67; 36 SUDC, 31 controls) from clinical and forensic collaborators were evaluated by nine blinded reviewers: three board-certified forensic pathologists, three neuropathologists and three dual-certified neuropathologists/forensic pathologists. RESULTS Among nine reviewers, about 50% of hippocampal sections were rated as abnormal (52.5% SUDC, 53.0% controls), with no difference by cause of death (COD) (p = 0.16) or febrile seizure history (p = 0.90). There was little agreement among nine reviewers on whether a slide was within normal range (Fleiss' κ = 0.014, p = 0.47). Within reviewer groups, there were no findings more frequent in SUDC compared with controls, with variability in pyramidal neuron and dentate gyrus findings. Across reviewer groups, there was concordance for bilamination and granule cell loss. Neither SUDC (51.2%) nor control (55.9%) slides were considered contributory to determining COD (p = 0.41). CONCLUSIONS The lack of an association of hippocampal findings in SUDC and controls, as well as inconsistency of observations by multiple blinded reviewers, indicates discrepancy with previous studies and an inability to reliably identify hippocampal maldevelopment associated with sudden death (HMASD). These findings underscore a need for larger studies to standardise evaluation of hippocampal findings, identifying the range of normal variation and changes unrelated to SUDC or febrile seizures. Molecular studies may help identify novel immunohistological markers that inform on COD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique F Leitner
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Declan McGuone
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA
| | - Christopher William
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Arline Faustin
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Melissa Guzzetta
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Heather S Jarrell
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Katherine Maloney
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,New York Department of Health, Erie County Medical Examiner's Office, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Ross Reichard
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Colin Smith
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,Academic Department of Neuropathology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Victor Weedn
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,Maryland Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) Study Group, Roseland, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laura Gould
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation, Roseland, New Jersey, USA
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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Schulze-Bahr E, Dettmeyer RB, Klingel K, Kauferstein S, Wolf C, Baba HA, Bohle RM, Gebauer R, Milting H, Schmidt U, Meder B, Rieß O, Paul T, Bajanowski T, Schunkert H. Postmortale molekulargenetische Untersuchungen (molekulare Autopsie) bei kardiovaskulären und bei ungeklärten Todesfällen. KARDIOLOGE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12181-020-00438-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Harowitz J, Crandall L, McGuone D, Devinsky O. Seizure-related deaths in children: The expanding spectrum. Epilepsia 2021; 62:570-582. [PMID: 33586153 PMCID: PMC7986159 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Although seizures are common in children, they are often overlooked as a potential cause of death. Febrile and nonfebrile seizures can be fatal in children with or without an epilepsy diagnosis and may go unrecognized by parents or physicians. Sudden unexpected infant deaths, sudden unexplained death in childhood, and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy share clinical, neuropathological, and genetic features, including male predominance, unwitnessed deaths, death during sleep, discovery in the prone position, hippocampal abnormalities, and variants in genes regulating cardiac and neuronal excitability. Additionally, epidemiological studies reveal that miscarriages are more common among individuals with a personal or family history of epilepsy, suggesting that some fetal losses may result from epileptic factors. The spectrum of seizure-related deaths in pediatrics is wide and underappreciated; accurately estimating this mortality and understanding its mechanism in children is critical to developing effective education and interventions to prevent these tragedies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Harowitz
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura Crandall
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,SUDC Foundation, Herndon, Virginia, USA
| | - Declan McGuone
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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9
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Duncan JR, Byard RW. Determining the prevalence of sudden and unexplained death in childhood (SUDC): a national Australian perspective. Int J Legal Med 2020; 135:793-800. [PMID: 33097983 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02445-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is defined as the unexplained death of a child over the age of 12 months. The National Coronial Information System (NCIS) Australia was used to access data for deaths of children aged 1 to 4 years over the period 2010 to 2014. Cases were classified as those in which the cause of death was determined and those in which the child died suddenly and unexpectedly, and the cause of death remained undetermined. Categorical information was extracted for each case to determine risk factors associated with the cause of death. The overall rate of death in Australian children aged 1 to 4 years and for whom coronial data was available from 2010 to 2014 was 9.69/100,000 children. A cause of death was determined in 87% of cases with the average rate of death in this group being 8.49/100,000. Death remained undetermined in 13% of cases. The study determined that the SUDC rate in Australian children aged 1 to 4 years was 0.02/100,000. However, this rate may be as high as 0.40/100,000 children should further investigation be undertaken. These children tended to be 18-20 months of age and male, with death occurring primarily while prone during a sleep period in cooler months, thus having similar characteristics to sudden infant death syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhodie R Duncan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia. .,Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. .,Research Unit, Latrobe Regional Hospital, Traralgon, Vic, Australia.
| | - Roger W Byard
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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McGuone D, Crandall LG, Devinsky O. Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood: A Neuropathology Review. Front Neurol 2020; 11:582051. [PMID: 33178125 PMCID: PMC7596260 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.582051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the unexpected death of a child over age 12 months that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including review of the child's medical history, circumstances of death, a complete autopsy and ancillary testing (1). First defined in 2005, SUDC cases are more often male, with death occurring during a sleep period, being found prone, peak winter incidence, associated with febrile seizure history in ~28% of cases and mild pathologic changes insufficient to explain the death (1, 2). There has been little progress in understanding the causes of SUDC and no progress in prevention. Despite reductions in sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and other causes of mortality in childhood, the rate of SUDC has increased during the past two decades (3-5). In Ireland, SUID deaths were cut in half from 1994 to 2008 while SUDC deaths more than doubled (4). Surveillance issues, including lack of standardized certification practices, affect our understanding of the true magnitude of unexplained child deaths. Mechanisms underlying SUDC, like SUID, remain largely speculative. Limited and inconsistent evidence implicates abnormalities in brainstem autonomic and serotonergic nuclei, critical for arousal, cardiorespiratory control, and reflex responses to life-threatening hypoxia or hypercarbia in sleep (6). Abnormalities in medullary serotonergic neurons and receptors, as well as cardiorespiratory brainstem nuclei occur in some SUID cases, but have never been studied in SUDC. Retrospective, small SUDC studies with non-standardized methodologies most often demonstrate minor hippocampal abnormalities, as well as focal cortical dysplasia and dysgenesis of the brainstem and cerebellum. The significance of these findings to SUDC pathogenesis remains unclear with some investigators and forensic pathologists labeling these findings as normal variants, or potential causes of SUDC. The development of preventive strategies will require a greater understanding of underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan McGuone
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Laura G Crandall
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.,SUDC Foundation, Herndon, VA, United States
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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11
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Crandall LG, Lee JH, Friedman D, Lear K, Maloney K, Pinckard JK, Lin P, Andrew T, Roman K, Landi K, Jarrell H, Williamson AK, Downs JCU, Pinneri K, William C, Maleszewski JJ, Reichard RR, Devinsky O. Evaluation of Concordance Between Original Death Certifications and an Expert Panel Process in the Determination of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2023262. [PMID: 33125496 PMCID: PMC7599447 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The true incidence of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), already the fifth leading category of death among toddlers by current US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, is potentially veiled by the varied certification processes by medicolegal investigative offices across the United States. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the frequency of SUDC incidence, understand its epidemiology, and assess the consistency of death certification among medical examiner and coroner offices in the US death investigation system. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this case series, 2 of 13 forensic pathologists (FPs) conducted masked reviews of 100 cases enrolled in the SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC). Children who died aged 11 months to 18 years from 36 US states, Canada, and the United Kingdom had been posthumously enrolled in the SUDCRRC by family members from 2014 to 2017. Comprehensive data from medicolegal investigative offices, clinical offices, and family members were reviewed. Data analysis was conducted from December 2014 to June 2020. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Certified cause of death (COD) characterized as explained (accidental or natural) or unexplained, as determined by SUDCRRC masked review process. RESULTS In this study of 100 cases of SUDC (mean [SD] age, 32.1 [31.8] months; 58 [58.0%] boys; 82 [82.0%] White children; 92 [92.0%] from the United States), the original pathologist certified 43 cases (43.0%) as explained COD and 57 (57.0%) as unexplained COD. The SUDCRRC review process led to the following certifications: 16 (16.0%) were explained, 7 (7.0%) were undetermined because of insufficient data, and 77 (77.0%) were unexplained. Experts disagreed with the original COD in 40 cases (40.0%). These data suggest that SUDC incidence is higher than the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate (ie, 392 deaths in 2018). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive masked forensic pathology review process of sudden unexpected pediatric deaths, and it suggests that SUDC may often go unrecognized in US death investigations. Some unexpected pediatric deaths may be erroneously attributed to a natural or accidental COD, negatively affecting surveillance, research, public health funding, and medical care of surviving family members. To further address the challenges of accurate and consistent death certification in SUDC, future studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joyce H. Lee
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Kelly Lear
- Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office, Centennial, Colorado
| | - Katherine Maloney
- Erie County Medical Examiner's Office, Buffalo, New York
- University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York
| | | | | | - Thomas Andrew
- White Mountain Forensic Consulting Services, Concord, New Hampshire
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kathy Pinneri
- Montgomery County Forensic Services Department, Conroe, Texas
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Postural change for supine position does not disturb toddlers' nap. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11944. [PMID: 32686727 PMCID: PMC7371876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68832-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined whether forced postural change from prone to supine during toddlers’ nap, a preventative measure taken in Japan for sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), disturbs toddlers’ sleep. When the "Back to Sleep" campaign (BSC) was introduced to Japan in 1996, its recommendations were also applied to infants aged 1 year old and over with the expectation that the BSC recommendations may also contribute to a decrease in the occurrence rate of SUDC. Since then, Japanese nurseries have routinely conducted sleeping position checks and positional adjustments of toddlers every 5–10 min during naps. A total of 52 toddlers (age 18.4 ± 3.3 months, means ± SD) were continuously monitored for 8 h during daytime at nursery schools for wake-sleep status and body position (prone, supine and lateral) with actigraphs and 3-orthogonal-axis accelerometers. Out of the 52 toddlers, 24 toddlers adopted prone positions during naps, which were adjusted by nursery staff back to supine. When nursery staff manually changed the toddlers position from prone to supine, the toddlers either did not wake or woke only briefly (3.1 ± 4.9 min) and returned to sleep soon after the positional change. Our study indicates that manual change of toddlers’ sleeping position from prone to supine, a potential SUDC prevention method, does not disturb toddlers’ sleep during their naps.
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McGuone D, Leitner D, William C, Faustin A, Leelatian N, Reichard R, Shepherd TM, Snuderl M, Crandall L, Wisniewski T, Devinsky O. Neuropathologic Changes in Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2020; 79:336-346. [PMID: 31995186 PMCID: PMC7036658 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlz136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) affects children >1-year-old whose cause of death remains unexplained following comprehensive case investigation and is often associated with hippocampal abnormalities. We prospectively performed systematic neuropathologic investigation in 20 SUDC cases, including (i) autopsy data and comprehensive ancillary testing, including molecular studies, (ii) ex vivo 3T MRI and extensive histologic brain samples, and (iii) blinded neuropathology review by 2 board-certified neuropathologists. There were 12 girls and 8 boys; median age at death was 33.3 months. Twelve had a history of febrile seizures, 85% died during apparent sleep and 80% in prone position. Molecular testing possibly explained 3 deaths and identified genetic mutations in TNNI3, RYR2, and multiple chromosomal aberrations. Hippocampal abnormalities most often affected the dentate gyrus (altered thickness, irregular configuration, and focal lack of granule cells), and had highest concordance between reviewers. Findings were identified with similar frequencies in cases with and without molecular findings. Number of seizures did not correlate with hippocampal findings. Hippocampal alterations were the most common finding on histological review but were also found in possibly explained deaths. The significance and specificity of hippocampal findings is unclear as they may result from seizures, contribute to seizure pathogenesis, or be an unrelated phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan McGuone
- From the Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New haven, Connecticut
| | - Dominique Leitner
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Christopher William
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Nalin Leelatian
- From the Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New haven, Connecticut
| | - Ross Reichard
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Laura Crandall
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation, Cedar Grove, New Jersey
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Neurology
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, and Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
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Crandall LG, Lee JH, Stainman R, Friedman D, Devinsky O. Potential Role of Febrile Seizures and Other Risk Factors Associated With Sudden Deaths in Children. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e192739. [PMID: 31026025 PMCID: PMC6487567 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the fifth leading category of death among toddlers but remains underrecognized and inadequately studied. OBJECTIVE To assess the potential role of febrile seizures (FS) and other risk factors associated with SUDC and describe the epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention of SUDC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This case series study reviewed 622 consecutive sudden child death cases aged 1 to 17 years from 2001 to 2017 from 18 countries. Data were collected from family members of children who died suddenly; these families voluntarily registered with the SUDC Foundation. Data analysis was conducted from November 2017 to February 2019. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Certified manner of death characterized as accident, natural, or undetermined. RESULTS A total of 391 families with decedents aged 1 to 6 years completed a comprehensive interview on medical and social histories, and circumstances of death with forensic evaluations revealing a cause of death (sudden explained death in childhood [SEDC]) or no cause of death (SUDC). Of these children, 231 (59.1%) were male, the mean (SD) age at death was 24.9 (12.8) months, and 104 (26.6%) had a history of FS. Compared with the general population FS prevalence (2%-5%), FS prevalence among SUDC (28.8%; 95% CI, 23.3%-34.2%) and SEDC (22.1%; 95% CI, 14.8%-29.3%) were elevated. The odds of death during sleep was 4.6-fold higher in SUDC than in SEDC cases (odds ratio, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.92-11.09; adjusted P = .008). The siblings of SUDC cases were followed up for 3144 life-years, and none died prematurely from SUDC. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This analysis of the largest SUDC cohort confirmed an increased FS rate and found significantly increased rates of FS among SEDC. This study suggests that seizures may contribute to some SUDC and SEDC deaths. The risk of sudden death in a sibling was low. To develop and assess preventive strategies, population-based studies are needed to define the epidemiology and spectrum of risk factors and identify biomarkers of patients with FS at high risk of sudden death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gould Crandall
- Sudden Unexplained Death In Childhood Foundation, Roseland, New Jersey
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Joyce H. Lee
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Rebecca Stainman
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Daniel Friedman
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
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Billakota S, Odom N, Westwood AJ, Hanna E, Pack AM, Bateman LM. Sleep-disordered breathing, neuroendocrine function, and clinical SUDEP risk in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2018; 87:78-82. [PMID: 30176573 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a major contributor to epilepsy-related mortality. It is associated with nocturnal seizures and centrally mediated postictal cardiorespiratory dysfunction (CRD), but mechanisms and contributors remain poorly understood. METHODS We performed a prospective, cross-sectional, observational pilot study in the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) adult epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) to explore relationships between periictal CRD, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), neuroendocrine function, and clinical SUDEP risk. Thirty patients (twenty women, ten men) underwent video-electroencephalogram (EEG) with electrocardiogram (EKG) and digital pulse oximetry, inpatient or outpatient polysomnography (PSG), and comprehensive laboratory evaluation of sex steroid hormones. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy risk was defined as Low (0-2) or High (≥3) using the revised SUDEP-7 Inventory. Sleep-disordered breathing was defined using standard criteria. Neuroendocrine dysfunction was defined as ≥1 laboratory abnormality. RESULTS Cardiorespiratory dysfunction occurred more frequently in high-risk patients (60% vs. 27%, p = 0.018). Endocrine dysfunction was seen in 35% of patients, more in men (p = 0.018). Sleep-disordered breathing was found in 88% of fully scoreable PSGs. CONCLUSIONS There was no significant relationship between CRD, SDB, and neuroendocrine status, though all PSGs in those with high SUDEP risk or neuroendocrine dysfunction revealed SDB. Larger studies are needed to further elucidate relationships between CRD, SDB, neuroendocrine factors, and SUDEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santoshi Billakota
- Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center New York, NY, United States.
| | - Nicole Odom
- Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center New York, NY, United States; Pinehurst Neurology, P.A., Pinehurst, NC, United States
| | - Andrew J Westwood
- Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric Hanna
- Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center New York, NY, United States
| | - Alison M Pack
- Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center New York, NY, United States
| | - Lisa M Bateman
- Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center New York, NY, United States
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Levieux K, Patural H, Harrewijn I, Briand Huchet E, de Visme S, Gallot G, Chalumeau M, Gras Le Guen C, Hanf M. The French prospective multisite registry on sudden unexpected infant death (OMIN): rationale and study protocol. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020883. [PMID: 29666137 PMCID: PMC5905759 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Even after 'back-to-sleep' campaigns, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) continues to be the leading cause of death for infants 1 month to 1 year old in developed countries, with devastating social, psychological and legal implications for families. To sustainably tackle this problem and decrease the number of SUIDs, a French SUID registry was initiated in 2015 to (1) inform prevention with standardised data, (2) understand the mechanisms leading to SUID and the contribution of the already known or newly suggested risk factors and (3) gather a multidisciplinary group of experts to coordinate and develop innovative and urgent research in the SUID area. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This observational multisite prospective observatory includes all cases of sudden unexpected deaths in children younger than 2 years occurring in the French territory covered by the 35 participating French referral centres. From these cases, various data concerning sociodemographic conditions, death scene, personal and family medical history, parental behaviours, sleep environment, clinical examinations, biological and imagery investigations and autopsy are systematically collected. These data will be complemented as of 2018 with a biobank of diverse biological samples (blood, hair, urine, faeces and cerebrospinal fluid), with other administrative health-related data (health claim reimbursements and hospital admissions) and socioenvironmental data. Insights from exploratory descriptive statistics and thematic analysis will be combined for the design of targeted strategies to effectively reduce preventable infant deaths. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The French sudden unexpected infant death registry (Observatoire National des Morts Inattendues du Nourrisson registry;OMIN) was approved in 2015 by the French Data Protection Authority in clinical research (Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés: number 915273) and by an independent ethics committee (Groupe Nantais d'Ethique dans le Domaine de la Santé: number 2015-01-27). Results will be discussed with associations of families affected by SUID, caregivers, funders of the registry, medical societies and researchers and will be submitted to international peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Levieux
- Pediatric Emergency Care Unit, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
- Inserm CIC 1413, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
| | - Hugues Patural
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Étienne University Hospital, Saint Etienne, France
| | - Inge Harrewijn
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Montpellier University Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Géraldine Gallot
- Biological Resource Center (BRC), Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
| | - Martin Chalumeau
- Inserm, UMR1153 Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Center (CRESS), Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (EPOPé), Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
- Department of General Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Christèle Gras Le Guen
- Pediatric Emergency Care Unit, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
- Inserm CIC 1413, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
| | - Matthieu Hanf
- Inserm CIC 1413, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
- Inserm UMR 1181 B2PHI, Versailles Saint Quentin University, Villejuif, France
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Levieux K, Patural H, Harrewijn I, Briand Huchet E, Kugener B, Pidoux O, de Visme S, Adjaoud C, Gras Le Guen C, Hanf M. Sudden unexpected infant death: Time for integrative national registries. Arch Pediatr 2018; 25:75-76. [PMID: 29395889 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K Levieux
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Nantes University Hospital, 9, Quai-Moncousu, 44093 Nantes cedex 1, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Étienne University Hospital, 42100 Saint-Étienne, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Montpellier University Hospital, 34090 Montpellier, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Antoine-Béclère University Hospital, AP-HP, 92140 Clamart, France; Department of Pediatric Medicine, HFME Lyon, 69677 Bron, France; Inserm CIC1413, Nantes University Hospital, 44093 Nantes, France.
| | - H Patural
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Étienne University Hospital, 42100 Saint-Étienne, France
| | - I Harrewijn
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Montpellier University Hospital, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - E Briand Huchet
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Antoine-Béclère University Hospital, AP-HP, 92140 Clamart, France
| | - B Kugener
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, HFME Lyon, 69677 Bron, France
| | - O Pidoux
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Montpellier University Hospital, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - S de Visme
- Inserm CIC1413, Nantes University Hospital, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - C Adjaoud
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Nantes University Hospital, 9, Quai-Moncousu, 44093 Nantes cedex 1, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Étienne University Hospital, 42100 Saint-Étienne, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Montpellier University Hospital, 34090 Montpellier, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Antoine-Béclère University Hospital, AP-HP, 92140 Clamart, France; Department of Pediatric Medicine, HFME Lyon, 69677 Bron, France; Inserm CIC1413, Nantes University Hospital, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - C Gras Le Guen
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Nantes University Hospital, 9, Quai-Moncousu, 44093 Nantes cedex 1, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Étienne University Hospital, 42100 Saint-Étienne, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Montpellier University Hospital, 34090 Montpellier, France; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Antoine-Béclère University Hospital, AP-HP, 92140 Clamart, France; Department of Pediatric Medicine, HFME Lyon, 69677 Bron, France; Inserm CIC1413, Nantes University Hospital, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - M Hanf
- Inserm CIC1413, Nantes University Hospital, 44093 Nantes, France; Inserm UMR 1181 Biostatistics, Biomathematics, Pharmacoepidemiology and Infectious Diseases (B2PHI), Versailles Saint-Quentin University, 78000 Villejuif, France
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Crandall L, Devinsky O. Sudden unexplained death in children. THE LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2017; 1:8-9. [PMID: 30169231 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(17)30003-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Crandall
- Department of Neurology, NYU School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York, NY 110016, USA.
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Department of Neurology, NYU School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York, NY 110016, USA
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20
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Krause A, Nowak Z, Srbu R, Bell H. Respiratory autoresuscitation following severe acute hypoxemia in anesthetized adult rats. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2016; 232:43-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Calton MA, Howard JR, Harper RM, Goldowitz D, Mittleman G. The Cerebellum and SIDS: Disordered Breathing in a Mouse Model of Developmental Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Loss during Recovery from Hypercarbia. Front Neurol 2016; 7:78. [PMID: 27242661 PMCID: PMC4865515 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum assists coordination of somatomotor, respiratory, and autonomic actions. Purkinje cell alterations or loss appear in sudden infant death and sudden death in epilepsy victims, possibly contributing to the fatal event. We evaluated breathing patterns in 12 wild-type (WT) and Lurcher mutant mice with 100% developmental cerebellar Purkinje cell loss under baseline (room air), and recovery from hypercapnia, a concern in sudden death events. Six mutant and six WT mice were exposed to 4-min blocks of increasing CO2 (2, 4, 6, and 8%), separated by 4-min recovery intervals in room air. Breath-by-breath patterns, including depth of breathing and end-expiratory pause (EEP) durations during recovery, were recorded. No baseline genotypic differences emerged. However, during recovery, EEP durations significantly lengthened in mutants, compared to WT mice, following the relatively low levels of CO2 exposure. Additionally, mutant mice exhibited signs of post-sigh disordered breathing during recovery following each exposure. Developmental cerebellar Purkinje cell loss significantly affects compensatory breathing patterns following mild CO2 exposure, possibly by inhibiting recovery from elevated CO2. These data implicate cerebellar Purkinje cells in the ability to recover from hypercarbia, suggesting that neuropathologic changes or loss of these cells contribute to inadequate ventilatory recovery to increased environmental CO2. Multiple disorders, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), appear to involve both cardiorespiratory failure and loss or injury to cerebellar Purkinje cells; the findings support the concept that such neuropathology may precede and exert a prominent role in these fatal events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele A Calton
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis , Memphis, TN , USA
| | - Jeremy R Howard
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis , Memphis, TN , USA
| | - Ronald M Harper
- Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles , Los Angeles, CA , USA
| | - Dan Goldowitz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia , Vancouver, BC , Canada
| | - Guy Mittleman
- Department of Psychological Science, Ball State University , Muncie, IN , USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder among children and adolescents that is associated with increased mortality for numerous reasons. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy is a critically important entity for physicians who treat patients with epilepsy. Many pediatric neurologists are hesitant to discuss this condition with patients and families because of the lower risk in the pediatric age group. METHODS We searched for studies published between January 2000 and June 2015 by means of a PubMed search and a cumulative review of reference lists of all relevant publications, using the keywords "sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients," "pediatric SUDEP," "sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients and children," "sudden unexpected death in children" and "sudden infant death syndrome." RESULTS SUDEP is a rare condition in children. Its mechanism is poorly understood and may have a distinct pathogenesis from adult sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Limited comfort, experience, and knowledge to provide appropriate education about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy leads to fewer physicians discussing this subject leading to less informed and less prepared patients and families. CONCLUSION We provide a detailed review of the literature on pediatric SUDEP, including the definition, classification, and proposed mechanisms of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy in children, as well as discuss the incidence in the pediatric population and risk factors in children, concluding with possible prevention strategies.
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Sudden unexpected death in early childhood: general observations in a series of 151 cases: Part 1 of the investigations of the San Diego SUDC Research Project. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2016; 12:4-13. [PMID: 26782961 PMCID: PMC4752958 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-015-9724-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the major subcategories and clinicopathologic features of sudden unexpected death in young children in a large retrospective cohort, and to confirm the association of sudden unexplained death in children (abbreviated by us for unexplained deaths as SUDC) with hippocampal pathology and/or febrile seizures. METHODS We undertook analysis of a retrospective cohort of 151 cases, of which 80% (121/151) were subclassified as SUDC, 11% (16/151) as explained, 7% (10/151) as undetermined, and 3% (4/151) as seizure-related. RESULTS There were no significant differences between SUDC and explained cases in postnatal, gestational, or postconceptional age, frequency of preterm birth, gender, race, or organ weights. In contrast, 96.7% (117/121) of the SUDC group were discovered during a sleep period compared to 53.3% (8/15) of the explained group (p < 0.001), and 48.8% (59/121) of the SUDC cases had a personal and/or family history of febrile seizures compared to 6.7% (1/15) of the explained group (p < 0.001). Of the explained deaths, 56% (9/16) were subclassified as infection, 31% (5/16) cardiac, 6% (1/16) accidental, and 6% (1/16) metabolic. Two of the three cases specifically tested for cardiac channelopathies at autopsy based upon clinical indications had genetic variants in cardiac genes, one of uncertain significance. Bacterial cultures at autopsy typically revealed organisms interpreted as contaminants. Two of the four seizure-related deaths were witnessed, with two of the brains from these cases showing generalized malformations. Hippocampal anomalies, including a specific combination we termed hippocampal maldevelopment associated with sudden death, were found in almost 50% (40/83) of the SUDC and undetermined cases in which hippocampal sections were available. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the key role for the hippocampus, febrile seizures, and sleep in SUDC pathophysiology. It also demonstrates the role of known predisposing conditions such as cardiac channelopathies and infections in causing sudden unexpected death in childhood, and the need for improved ancillary testing and protective strategies in these cases, even when the cause of death is established at autopsy.
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Hefti MM, Cryan JB, Haas EA, Chadwick AE, Crandall LA, Trachtenberg FL, Armstrong DD, Grafe M, Krous HF, Kinney HC. Hippocampal malformation associated with sudden death in early childhood: a neuropathologic study. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2016; 12:14-25. [DOI: 10.1007/s12024-015-9731-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hesdorffer DC, Crandall LA, Friedman D, Devinsky O. Sudden unexplained death in childhood: A comparison of cases with and without a febrile seizure history. Epilepsia 2015; 56:1294-300. [DOI: 10.1111/epi.13066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dale C. Hesdorffer
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and Department of Epidemiology; Columbia University; New York New York U.S.A
| | - Laura A. Crandall
- SUDC Foundation; Herndon Virginia U.S.A
- Department of Neurology; Com-prehensive Epilepsy Center; NYU Langone Medical Center; New York New York U.S.A
| | - Daniel Friedman
- Department of Neurology; Com-prehensive Epilepsy Center; NYU Langone Medical Center; New York New York U.S.A
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Department of Neurology; Com-prehensive Epilepsy Center; NYU Langone Medical Center; New York New York U.S.A
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Takahashi T, Yamada K, Kobayashi H, Hasegawa Y, Taketani T, Fukuda S, Yamaguchi S. Metabolic disease in 10 patients with sudden unexpected death in infancy or acute life-threatening events. Pediatr Int 2015; 57:348-53. [PMID: 25919294 DOI: 10.1111/ped.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In order to determine the associations between sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) or acute life-threatening events (ALTE) and inborn errors of metabolism, particularly organic acidemia and fatty acid oxidation disorders, we evaluated clinical features in patients with SUDI or ALTE. The subjects were infants between the ages of 7 days and 3 years who developed SUDI or ALTE between January 2004 and December 2013. They were then diagnosed as having inborn errors of metabolism on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and/or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The age distribution, onset forms, and clinical findings were evaluated during the acute phase. Inborn errors of metabolism were detected in three of 196 patients with SUDI, and in seven of 167 patients with ALTE. Of these 10 patients, nine had a history of poor feeding and somnolence during the neonatal period, and symptoms of infection such as cough, fever or vomiting during infancy. Routine laboratory tests during an acute phase indicated hyperammonemia, liver dysfunction, increased blood creatine kinase, acidosis, positive ketone bodies in urine or blood, or hypoglycemia. When SUDI or ALTE are encountered in the emergency unit, it is essential that a detailed medical history is taken, particularly with regard to the neonatal period, and that specific abnormalities are investigated on routine laboratory tests. Moreover, samples such as urine, serum, and filter paper blood specimens should be collected for GC/MS and/or MS/MS of organic acids and acylcarnitines, to identify inborn metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoo Takahashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Kenji Yamada
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Hironori Kobayashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Yuki Hasegawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Takeshi Taketani
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Seiji Fukuda
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Seiji Yamaguchi
- Department of Pediatrics, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
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HRS/EHRA/APHRS Expert Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Inherited Primary Arrhythmia Syndromes. J Arrhythm 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.joa.2013.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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Priori SG, Wilde AA, Horie M, Cho Y, Behr ER, Berul C, Blom N, Brugada J, Chiang CE, Huikuri H, Kannankeril P, Krahn A, Leenhardt A, Moss A, Schwartz PJ, Shimizu W, Tomaselli G, Tracy C. Executive Summary: HRS/EHRA/APHRS Expert Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Inherited Primary Arrhythmia Syndromes. J Arrhythm 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.joa.2013.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
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Priori SG, Wilde AA, Horie M, Cho Y, Behr ER, Berul C, Blom N, Brugada J, Chiang CE, Huikuri H, Kannankeril P, Krahn A, Leenhardt A, Moss A, Schwartz PJ, Shimizu W, Tomaselli G, Tracy C. HRS/EHRA/APHRS Expert Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Inherited Primary Arrhythmia Syndromes. Heart Rhythm 2013; 10:1932-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2013.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1341] [Impact Index Per Article: 121.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Priori SG, Wilde AA, Horie M, Cho Y, Behr ER, Berul C, Blom N, Brugada J, Chiang CE, Huikuri H, Kannankeril P, Krahn A, Leenhardt A, Moss A, Schwartz PJ, Shimizu W, Tomaselli G, Tracy C, Ackerman M, Belhassen B, Estes NAM, Fatkin D, Kalman J, Kaufman E, Kirchhof P, Schulze-Bahr E, Wolpert C, Vohra J, Refaat M, Etheridge SP, Campbell RM, Martin ET, Quek SC. Executive summary: HRS/EHRA/APHRS expert consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of patients with inherited primary arrhythmia syndromes. Europace 2013; 15:1389-406. [PMID: 23994779 DOI: 10.1093/europace/eut272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 405] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia G Priori
- From the Maugeri Foundation IRCCS, Pavia, Italy, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy, and New York University, New York, New York
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Executive summary: HRS/EHRA/APHRS expert consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of patients with inherited primary arrhythmia syndromes. Heart Rhythm 2013; 10:e85-108. [PMID: 23916535 DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2013.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Berg AT, Nickels K, Wirrell EC, Geerts AT, Callenbach PM, Arts WF, Rios C, Camfield PR, Camfield CS. Mortality risks in new-onset childhood epilepsy. Pediatrics 2013; 132:124-31. [PMID: 23753097 PMCID: PMC3691537 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-3998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Estimate the causes and risk of death, specifically seizure related, in children followed from onset of epilepsy and to contrast the risk of seizure-related death with other common causes of death in the population. METHODS Mortality experiences from 4 pediatric cohorts of newly diagnosed patients were combined. Causes of death were classified as seizure related (including sudden unexpected death [SUDEP]), natural causes, nonnatural causes, and unknown. RESULTS Of 2239 subjects followed up for >30 000 person-years, 79 died. Ten subjects with lethal neurometabolic conditions were ultimately excluded. The overall death rate (per 100 000 person-years) was 228; 743 in complicated epilepsy (with associated neurodisability or underlying brain condition) and 36 in uncomplicated epilepsy. Thirteen deaths were seizure-related (10 SUDEP, 3 other), accounting for 19% of all deaths. Seizure-related death rates were 43 overall, 122 for complicated epilepsy, and 14 for uncomplicated epilepsy. Death rates from other natural causes were 159, 561, and 9, respectively. Of 48 deaths from other natural causes, 37 were due to pneumonia or other respiratory complications. CONCLUSIONS Most excess death in young people with epilepsy is not seizure-related. Mortality is significantly higher compared with the general population in children with complicated epilepsy but not uncomplicated epilepsy. The SUDEP rate was similar to or higher than sudden infant death syndrome rates. In uncomplicated epilepsy, sudden and seizure-related death rates were similar to or higher than rates for other common causes of death in young people (eg, accidents, suicides, homicides). Relating the risk of death in epilepsy to familiar risks may facilitate discussions of seizure-related mortality with patients and families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne T. Berg
- Epilepsy Center, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Katherine Nickels
- Epilepsy and Child and Adolescent Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Elaine C. Wirrell
- Epilepsy and Child and Adolescent Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Ada T. Geerts
- Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Petra M.C. Callenbach
- Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Willem F. Arts
- Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christina Rios
- Pediatrics, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut; and
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Kinney HC, Rognum TO, Nattie EE, Haddad GG, Hyma B, McEntire B, Paterson DS, Crandall L, Byard RW. Sudden and unexpected death in early life: proceedings of a symposium in honor of Dr. Henry F. Krous. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2012; 8:414-25. [DOI: 10.1007/s12024-012-9376-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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