Histological and immunohistochemical investigations on infantile pancreas in cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as unexpected death of a previously healthy infant with no cause of death being established. Comprehensive histological and immunohistochemical investigations are required subsequent to autopsy. In 18 cases of sudden infant death, histological (H&E, PAS and iron stain) and immunohistochemical investigations (CD68, CD45RO and LCA) were performed regarding a possible role of pancreatitis in SIDS and histomorphological alterations of the pancreatic islets, respectively. In all the investigated cases, no inflammatory changes of the infantile pancreatic tissue and no other significant histomorphological alterations of the pancreatic islets were found.