[Heart and sudden infant death. Anatomopathological study of 100 cases].

BACKGROUND

Post-mortem examination of infants with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is essential for understanding the cause and/or mechanism of death. This study aims to evaluate the contributions of heart in SIDS.

POPULATION AND METHODS

Between 1981 and 1990, the CHU of Nantes carried out autopsies on 162 cases of sudden infant death syndrome. One hundred files were accepted for this retrospective study because a second recent macroscopic and microscopic (11 samples for each heart) examination of heart was possible.

RESULTS

The weight of hearts was not increased, except in one case. Macroscopic examination did not reveal any cardiac abnormalities. Histological examination confirmed the lesions initially observed in 11 cases and probably responsible for their death.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underlines the importance of studying numerous samples of each heart of microscopic examination of many sections.