Amakiri C N, Akang E E, Aghadiuno P U, Odesanmi W O
Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Med Sci Law. 1997 Jan;37(1):69-75. doi: 10.1177/002580249703700115.
The present study reviews 876 consecutive coroner's autopsies performed in the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan over a two-year period (1 February 1991 to 31 January 1993). The hospital autopsy rate during the study period was 36.2%, and 62.5 per cent of these post-mortems were medico-legal cases. The most common indications for coroner's autopsies were sudden natural deaths (55.6%), followed by accidental deaths (35.3%). The proportions of maternal (4.3%), homicidal (3.1%) and suicidal (0.3%) deaths were much lower. The male to female ratio was 1.7 to 1. Ninety-one (10.4%) of the cases fell within the paediatric age group and the peak age incidence for these cases was in the 5-14 years age group. The remaining 785 (89.6%) cases were adults and the peak age incidence for these cases was in the fourth decade of life. The most common cause of sudden natural death was cardiovascular disease, of which hypertension constituted the majority of cases. Other major causes of sudden death included pneumonia, meningitis, typhoid fever and neoplastic diseases. Road traffic accidents accounted for 78 per cent of accidental deaths followed by falls (13.3%) and burns (4.6%). Abortions, post-partum haemorrhage and eclampsia were the major causes of maternal deaths in the present study. Homicidal deaths were eight times more frequent in male than female victims and the commonest mode of death was gunshot injuries. Suicidal deaths remain extremely uncommon in African patients, as confirmed by our study.
本研究回顾了在伊巴丹大学学院医院病理科进行的连续876例死因裁判尸检，时间跨度为两年（1991年2月1日至1993年1月31日）。研究期间医院的尸检率为36.2%，其中62.5%的尸检为法医学案件。死因裁判尸检最常见的指征是自然猝死（55.6%），其次是意外死亡（35.3%）。孕产妇死亡（4.3%）、他杀死亡（3.1%）和自杀死亡（0.3%）的比例要低得多。男女比例为1.7比1。91例（10.4%）病例属于儿童年龄组，这些病例的发病高峰年龄在5至14岁年龄组。其余785例（89.6%）病例为成年人，这些病例的发病高峰年龄在生命的第四个十年。自然猝死最常见的原因是心血管疾病，其中高血压占大多数病例。其他主要的猝死原因包括肺炎、脑膜炎、伤寒热和肿瘤性疾病。道路交通事故占意外死亡的78%，其次是跌倒（13.3%）和烧伤（4.6%）。堕胎、产后出血和子痫是本研究中孕产妇死亡的主要原因。他杀死亡的男性受害者比女性受害者多八倍以上，最常见的死亡方式是枪伤。正如我们的研究所证实的那样，自杀死亡在非洲患者中仍然极为罕见。
