J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2002 Sep;45(9):1065-1074.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy: Analysis of 34 Cases Including 13 Autopsies

• Moon YO
• Choi HK
• Her JA
• Shin WJ
• Kim MA
• Lee SY
• Jang SH
• Dong ES
• Kim CJ
• Ahn YM
• Chi JG

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiologic characteristics of sudden unexpected death in infancy and to evaluate the importance of postmortem autopsy.
METHODS
We reviewed, retrospectively, medical records of 34 infants admitted to Kangnam General Hospital from January 1987 to December 2001 because of sudden unexpected death. We investigated the cause of death through medical history, death scene examination, autopsy findings, acylcarnitine and organic acid analysis.
RESULTS
Among the total 34 infants, 18 were male(52.9%) and 16 were female(47.1%). Thirty infants(88%) were below the six months of age. Winter was the most affected season(38.2%). Eighteen infants(52.9%) died between 6 and 12AM. The prone sleeping position was observed more frequently than the supine position at death; nine cases in the prone position, six cases in the supine position. The cause of death of 23 cases could not be found by only history and death scene examination. Autopsy was done in 13 cases. Seven cases of them were thought to be SIDS. In six cases, we explained the cause of death with autosy findings. They were an endocardial fibroelastosis, a nesidioblastosis, a subdural hematoma, a bronchopneumonia and two fatty changes of liver. Metabolic screening tests performed in three cases to rule out metabolic disorder since 2000 were all normal.
CONCLUSION
We concluded that autopsy and metabolic screening test should be performed to find out the cause of death in sudden unexpected death in infancy.

Keyword

Sudden unexpected death in infancy; Sudden infant death syndrome(SIDS); Autopsy; fatty acid oxidation disorder(FAOD)

MeSH Terms

Autopsy*
Bronchopneumonia
Cause of Death
Endocardial Fibroelastosis
Hematoma, Subdural
Hospitals, General
Humans
Infant
Liver
Mass Screening
Medical Records
Nesidioblastosis
Prone Position
Retrospective Studies
Sudden Infant Death
Supine Position