Journal
CIRCULATION-ARRHYTHMIA AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
Volume 7, Issue 2, Pages 205-211Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCEP.113.001421
Keywords
autopsy; death; sudden; cardiac; epidemiology; pathology; registries
Categories
Funding
- Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia (DARC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, The Heart Centre, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- John and Birthe Meyer Foundation
- Danish Heart Foundation [12-04-R91-A3790-22689]
- Research Fund of Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background Knowledge of the burden and causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is sparse in persons aged <50 years; better understanding is needed to lower the risk of SCD. The aim of this study was to report SCD incidence rates and autopsy findings in persons aged 1 to 49 years. Methods and Results All deaths in persons aged 1 to 49 years were included in 2007 to 2009. Death certificates were reviewed by 2 physicians. History of previous admissions to hospital was assessed, and discharge summaries were read. Sudden unexpected death cases were identified and autopsy reports were collected. In the 3-year study period, there were 7849 deaths of which we identified 893 (11%) SCD cases. The annual incidence rate per 100000 persons increased from 2.3 (95% confidence interval, 2.0-2.7) to 21.7 (95% confidence interval, 20.2-23.4) in persons aged 1 to 35 and 36 to 49 years, respectively. Coronary artery disease was the most common cause of death and was found in 158 (36%) autopsied cases, followed by 135 (31%) cases of sudden unexplained death. Conclusions In a nationwide cohort of persons aged <50 years, the annual incidence rate of SCD was approximate to 10x higher in persons aged 36 to 49 years than in persons aged 1 to 35 years. Notably, coronary artery disease was the most common cause of SCD, followed by unexplained deaths. These findings may help in developing strategies to prevent SCD in the future.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available