Abstract

AIMS To study the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological characteristics of sudden unexpected non-violent deaths between 1 and 19 years.

METHODS Population based observational study of all sudden unexpected non-violent deaths between 1 and 19 years, from 1990 to 1997, in a north Spain county (Bizkaia). In each case, clinical information and circumstances of death were obtained and a complete forensic autopsy was performed.

RESULTS There were 34 sudden unexpected non-violent deaths. The mortality rate was 1.7 per 100 000 persons per year (representing 9% of the mortality rate of all non-violent deaths). In 10 cases the cause of death was cardiac, in 13 cases extracardiac, and 11 cases were unexplained. In 17 cases there were no pathological antecedents and in nine cases death occurred in patients with known disorders. Syncopes prior to death were present in five cases. Exercise related deaths occurred in seven cases (mainly associated with cardiac causes). Eight cases were “death in bed”.