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Finocchiaro G, Westaby J, Sheppard MN, Papadakis M, Sharma S. Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol 2024; 83:350-370. [PMID: 38199713 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Athletes epitomize the healthiest segment of society. Despite this premise, sudden cardiac death may occur in apparently healthy athletes, attracting significant attention not only in the medical community but also in laypersons and media. The incidence of sudden cardiac death is variably reported, and epidemiological burden differs among cohorts. Athletes appear to be at risk of developing fatal arrhythmias when harboring a quiescent cardiac disorder. Primary cardiomyopathies, ion channelopathies, and coronary artery anomalies are prevalent causes in young individuals. Cardiac assessment of athletes can be challenging because these individuals exhibit a plethora of electrical, structural, and functional physiological changes that overlap with cardiac pathology. A diagnosis of cardiac disease in a young athlete is not necessarily an indication to terminate competition and sports participation. International guidelines, traditionally focused on disqualification of individuals with cardiac disease, have recently adopted a more liberal attitude, based on a careful assessment of the risk and on a shared-decision making approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gherardo Finocchiaro
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Westaby
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mary N Sheppard
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Papadakis
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjay Sharma
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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Pallangyo A, Pyuza JJ, Nkya G, Amsi P, Andongolile A, Makata AM, Mremi A. Ventricular silent rupture leading to sudden death: Navigating diagnostic challenges in a resource-constraint setting. Clin Case Rep 2024; 12:e8439. [PMID: 38197060 PMCID: PMC10774542 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Key Clinical Message Ventricular myocardial rupture is a rare complication of myocardial infarction. It occurs within hours to weeks after an infarction. Mortality is high. Antemortem diagnosis is a challenge in low-resource settings, leading to potential misdiagnosis. Abstract Left ventricular myocardial rupture is a potentially fatal yet common complication in acute myocardial infarction patients. Rupture can occur as early as hours after an infarction. However, rupture may also occur later in the first week in the setting of myocardial necrosis and neutrophilic infiltration. Patients may survive several days to weeks before rupture occurs, and cardiac tamponade may present subacutely with a slow or repetitive clinical course. Sudden death can be attributed to ventricular rupture, more commonly during this time frame. Myocardial rupture can also occur as a result of trauma, infections, or cancer. Mortality is exceedingly high if surgical intervention is delayed. In most patients, myocardial rupture manifests as a catastrophic event within days of a first, small, uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction. Acute onset of shortness of breath, chest pain, shock, diaphoresis, unexplained emesis, cool and clammy skin, and syncope may herald the onset of ventricular septal rupture after acute myocardial infarction. Sudden death from myocardial rupture during acute myocardial infarction in patients with no apparent previous symptoms of myocardial ischemia represents a challenge for medical examiners, law enforcement officers, and society as a whole. An autopsy is critical for establishing the cause of death. We present the case of a 54-year-old male whose body was found beside the road after a trivial quarrel a day before. Further medical information about the deceased was not available. The preliminary cause of death was presumed to be traumatic. No evidence of trauma was seen during the autopsy. Massive pericardial blood collection compressing the heart and concealed left ventricular myocardial rupture were noted. Histopathological examination of the heart demonstrated myocardial infarction with a tear associated with bleeding that was contained in the pericardial sac. We ruled cardiac tamponade as the cause of death due to an infarcted myocardial rupture. Antemortem diagnosis of myocardial rupture can be challenging in low-resource settings, leading to potential misdiagnosis and negative impacts such as community conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Pallangyo
- Department of PathologyKilimanjaro Christian Medical CentreMoshiTanzania
- Faculty of MedicineKilimanjaro Christian Medical University CollegeMoshiTanzania
| | - Jeremia J. Pyuza
- Department of PathologyKilimanjaro Christian Medical CentreMoshiTanzania
| | - Gilbert Nkya
- Department of PathologyKilimanjaro Christian Medical CentreMoshiTanzania
| | - Patrick Amsi
- Department of PathologyKilimanjaro Christian Medical CentreMoshiTanzania
- Faculty of MedicineKilimanjaro Christian Medical University CollegeMoshiTanzania
| | | | - Ahmed M. Makata
- Department of PathologyKampala International University in TanzaniaKampalaTanzania
| | - Alex Mremi
- Department of PathologyKilimanjaro Christian Medical CentreMoshiTanzania
- Faculty of MedicineKilimanjaro Christian Medical University CollegeMoshiTanzania
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Giovachini L, Laghlam D, Geri G, Picard F, Varenne O, Marijon E, Dumas F, Cariou A. Prolonged follow-up after apparently unexplained sudden cardiac arrest: A retrospective study. Resuscitation 2024; 194:110095. [PMID: 38103858 DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.110095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We hypothesized that a prolonged follow-up of survivors of unexplained sudden cardiac arrest (USCA) would subsequently unmask electrical heart disorders in a significant proportion of cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) admitted alive in our cardiac arrest center over 20-years (2002-2022). The diagnosis of USCA was made when no etiology was found after thorough initial hospital investigations. We identified all the new diagnoses established during follow-up, and compared outcomes according to underlying heart diseases. RESULTS Out of the 2482 OHCA patients, 68 (2.7%) were initially classified as USCA and 30 (1.2%) with electrical heart disorders. Compared to other cardiac etiologies of OHCA, both USCA and electrical heart disorders patients were younger (mean age 48.5 and 43.5 year-old respectively, versus 62.5 year-old; p < 0.0001), with a higher rate of family history of SCA (17.6 and 23.3% respectively versus 9.2%; p = 0.003). Six patients in each group were lost to follow-up at discharge (6/68, 8.8% in the USCA group, 6/30 20% in the electrical heart disorders group). During a mean follow-up of 8.1 ± 6.3 years, a diagnosis was eventually established in 24.3% of USCA patients (9/35), most of them as electrical heart disorders (55.6%, 5/9). No post-discharge death occurred in both USCA and electrical heart disorders groups, with approximately 10% of appropriate therapy delivered by the implantable cardioverter defibrillator. CONCLUSION Our findings emphasized that approximately a quarter of patients who had been initially considered as having apparently USCA after index hospital stay actually reveal heart conditions, especially electrical heart disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Giovachini
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Cochin Hospital, AP-HP Centre Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Driss Laghlam
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Cochin Hospital, AP-HP Centre Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Geri
- Department of Cardiology and Critical Care, CMC Ambroise Paré-Hartmann, 48 Ter Boulevard Victor Hugo, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
| | - Fabien Picard
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Santé, UFR de Médecine, Paris, France; Cardiology, Cochin Hospital, AP-HP Centre Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Varenne
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Santé, UFR de Médecine, Paris, France; Cardiology, Cochin Hospital, AP-HP Centre Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Eloi Marijon
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Santé, UFR de Médecine, Paris, France; Cardiology, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, AP-HP Centre Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Florence Dumas
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Santé, UFR de Médecine, Paris, France
| | - Alain Cariou
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Cochin Hospital, AP-HP Centre Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Santé, UFR de Médecine, Paris, France
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Neukamm MA, Halter S, Auwärter V, Schmitt G, Giorgetti A, Bartel M. Death after smoking of fentanyl, 5F-ADB, 5F-MDMB-P7AICA and other synthetic cannabinoids with a bucket bong. Forensic Toxicol 2024; 42:82-92. [PMID: 37300633 PMCID: PMC10808286 DOI: 10.1007/s11419-023-00666-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We report a case of a polydrug user who consumed various synthetic cannabinoids and fentanyl from a transdermal patch via a bucket bong. Toxicological results from postmortem matrices with special focus on synthetic cannabinoids are discussed in terms of their relevance to the death. METHODS The samples were analyzed by toxicological screening procedures involving immunoassays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as well as quantitative analyses by means of GC-MS and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). RESULTS At the autopsy, coronary artery disease and signs of liver congestion were noted, in the absence of acute myocardial ischemic changes. Femoral blood concentrations of fentanyl and pregabalin were 14 ng/mL and 3,200 ng/mL, respectively. In addition, 2.7 ng/mL 5F-ADB and 13 ng/mL 5F-MDMB-P7AICA were detected together with relatively low amounts of 5 other synthetic cannabinoids in cardiac blood. A total number of up to 17 synthetic cannabinoids were detected in kidney, liver, urine and hair. Fentanyl and 5F-ADB were also detected in the water of the bucket bong. CONCLUSIONS The cause of death could be attributed to an acute mixed intoxication by fentanyl and 5F-ADB (both Toxicological Significance Score (TSS) = 3) with a contribution of pregabalin and 5F-MDMB-P7AICA (TSS = 2), in a subject suffering from pre-existing heart damage. The most plausible mechanism of death consists in a respiratory depression. This case report demonstrates that use of opioids in combination with synthetic cannabinoids might be particularly dangerous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merja A Neukamm
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 9, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Halter
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 9, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Volker Auwärter
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 9, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Georg Schmitt
- Institute of Forensic and Traffic Medicine, University Hospital, Voßstrasse 2, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arianna Giorgetti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marc Bartel
- Institute of Forensic and Traffic Medicine, University Hospital, Voßstrasse 2, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
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Lopez-Garcia P, de Leon MSS, Hernandez-Guerra AI, Fernandez-Liste A, Lucena J, Morentin B. Sudden death related to sexual activity: A multicenter study based on forensic autopsies (2010-2021). Forensic Sci Int 2024; 354:111908. [PMID: 38096750 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES To investigate the epidemiological characteristics, clinic-pathological findings and recent use of substances of abuse and prescribed drugs in sexual activity-related sudden death (SArSD). METHODS Multicenter population-based study on forensic autopsies conducted in 27 provinces of Spain over 12 years (2010-2021). RESULTS Out of 18046 autopsied natural deaths, 64 cases (0.35 %) of SArSD were investigated (87 % males). Women were younger than males (50.5 ± 13.4 years vs 37.2 ± 14.2; p = 0.017). Sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) accounted for 87 % of cases. Ischemic heart disease was the predominant pathology (58 %), mainly affecting men ≥ 36 years of age. Cerebral haemorrhage (8 %) and asthma (5 %) were the leading non-cardiac causes. In young adults, SADS (36 %) and asthma (27 %) were the main causes The disease responsible of SCD was diagnosed in life in 7 subjects. In 64 % there were cardiovascular risk factors, mainly obesity. Toxicological analysis detected illicit drugs (23 %), mainly cocaine, medications for erectile dysfunction (9 %), and ethanol ≥ 0.5 g/L (8 %). Deaths occurred usually in the context of heterosexual intercourse and during or immediately after sexual activity. The most common location was at home (63 %). In 12 men the sexual partner was a sex worker. CONCLUSIONS SArSD has a low incidence in the general population affecting middle-aged males during intercourse with a heterosexual partner. It is of cardiovascular origin, mainly due to ischemic heart disease that frequently remained silent during life. There is a frequent association with obesity, use of cocaine (and, to a lesser extent, medications for erectile dysfunction) and performing unconventional sexual practices. Forensic investigation is useful for developing prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Lopez-Garcia
- Histopathology Department, National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Madrid, Spain
| | - M S Sanchez de Leon
- Histopathology Department, National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Madrid, Spain
| | - A I Hernandez-Guerra
- Histopathology Section, National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, La Laguna (Tenerife) Delegation, Spain
| | - A Fernandez-Liste
- Forensic Pathology Section, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (IMELGA), A Coruña, Spain
| | - J Lucena
- Forensic Pathology Service, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Seville, Spain
| | - B Morentin
- Forensic Pathology Service, Basque Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Bilbao, Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain; Department of Medical Surgical Specialties, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bilbao, Spain.
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56
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von Korn H, Basso C, Pilichou K, Stefan V, Swojanowsky P. A New Inherited Syndrome Causing Sudden Cardiac Death with Distinct ST-Segment Depression and Ankyrin-2-Mutation. Appl Clin Genet 2023; 16:233-239. [PMID: 38146529 PMCID: PMC10749570 DOI: 10.2147/tacg.s438957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a serious threat. In individuals under the age of 35 years sudden arrhythmic death is the most frequent cause. In younger persons, genetically determined cardiac diseases (eg, cardiomyopathies and ion-channel diseases) account for an important proportion of these cases. Methods We investigated the case of a 23-year-old male with SCD, specific ECG changes and left ventricular hypertrophy. Family history was significant for SCD in the paternal line. A precise analysis was performed by an international multidisciplinary expert panel including autopsy of the index patient's heart, molecular autopsy, whole-exome sequencing, analysis of the pedigree and examination of available family members. Results Three cases of SCD were reported in paternal relatives. The index patient exhibited specific ECG changes (ST-depression), which were also found in five paternal relatives and the brother of the index patient. Post-mortem analysis of the heart yielded mild idiopathic concentric hypertrophy without myocardial disarray. The genetic analysis of the index patient showed two nucleotide variations in two different genes (ANK2: c.11791G>A, MYO18B: c.3761G>A), which were also expressed in five relatives. Two family members had showed all indicators of the inherited syndrome including distinct ECG changes and genetic changes. Conclusion We describe a distinct inheritable syndrome causing SCD, characterized by specific ECG changes and mutations of ANK2 and MYO18. As far as we know this is the first description of this syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubertus von Korn
- Department of Cardiology, Marienhaus Klinikum Hetzelstift, Neustadt, Weinstraße, 67434, Germany
| | - Cristina Basso
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua Medical School, Padova, 35128, Italy
| | - Kalliopi Pilichou
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua Medical School, Padova, 35128, Italy
| | - Victor Stefan
- Department of Cardiology, Marienhaus Klinikum Hetzelstift, Neustadt, Weinstraße, 67434, Germany
| | - Patrick Swojanowsky
- Department of Cardiology, Marienhaus Klinikum Hetzelstift, Neustadt, Weinstraße, 67434, Germany
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Carrington M, de Gouveia RH, Teixeira R, Corte-Real F, Gonçalves L, Providência R. Sudden death in young South European population: a cross-sectional study of postmortem cases. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22734. [PMID: 38123611 PMCID: PMC10733430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47502-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
To describe the annual incidence and the leading causes of sudden non-cardiac and cardiac death (SCD) in children and young adult Portuguese population. We retrospectively reviewed autopsy of sudden unexpected deaths reports from the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences' database, between 2012 and 2016, for the central region of Portugal, Azores and Madeira (ages 1-40: 26% of the total population). During a 5-year period, 159 SD were identified, corresponding to an annual incidence of 2,4 (95%confidence interval, 1,5-3,6) per 100.000 people-years. Victims had a mean age of 32 ± 7 years-old, and 72,3% were male. There were 70,4% cardiac, 16,4% respiratory and 7,5% neurologic causes of SD. The most frequent cardiac anatomopathological diagnosis was atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) (33,0%). There were 15,2% victims with left ventricular hypertrophy, with a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy only possible in 2,7%. The prevalence of cardiac pathological findings of uncertain significance was 30,4%. In conclusion, the annual incidence of SD was low. Atherosclerotic CAD was diagnosed in 33,0% victims, suggesting the need to intensify primary prevention measures in the young. The high prevalence of pathological findings of uncertain significance emphasizes the importance of molecular autopsy and screening of first-degree relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda Carrington
- Department of Cardiology, Centro Hospitalar Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
| | - Rosa Henriques de Gouveia
- Forensic Pathology Department, Delegação do Centro, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, Coimbra, Portugal
- Pathology and Histology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
- LANA - Laboratory of Clinical and Anatomical Pathology, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Rogério Teixeira
- Medical Faculty, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal
- Cardiology Department of Centro Hospitalar, Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Corte-Real
- Forensic Pathology Department, Delegação do Centro, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, Coimbra, Portugal
- Medical Faculty, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lino Gonçalves
- Medical Faculty, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal
- Cardiology Department of Centro Hospitalar, Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui Providência
- St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Heart Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
- Institute of Health Informatics Research, University College of London, London, UK.
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De Gaspari M, Fedeli U, Saia M, Carturan E, Pilichou K, Corrado D, Thiene G, Rizzo S, Basso C. Rate and Cause of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccination. Circulation 2023; 148:2069-2071. [PMID: 38109343 PMCID: PMC10752257 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.123.066270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Monica De Gaspari
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
| | - Ugo Fedeli
- Epidemiological Department, Azienda Zero, Veneto Region, Italy (U.F.)
| | - Mario Saia
- Clinical Governance Unit, Azienda Zero, Veneto Region, Italy (M.S.)
| | - Elisa Carturan
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
| | - Kalliopi Pilichou
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
| | - Domenico Corrado
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
| | - Gaetano Thiene
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
| | - Stefania Rizzo
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
| | - Cristina Basso
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua - Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy (M.D.G., E.C., K.P., D.C., G.T., S.R.)
- Epidemiological Department, Azienda Zero, Veneto Region, Italy (U.F.)
- Clinical Governance Unit, Azienda Zero, Veneto Region, Italy (M.S.)
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Hansen CJ, Svane J, Palsøe MK, Isbister JC, Paratz E, Molina P, Morentin B, Winkel BG, La Gerche A, Linnet K, Banner J, Lucena J, Semsarian C, Tfelt-Hansen J. Toxicology Screening in Sports-Related Sudden Cardiac Death: A Multinational Observational Study. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2023:S2405-500X(23)00833-2. [PMID: 38127009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knowledge of toxicological findings among sports-related sudden cardiac death (SrSCD) is scarce. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to describe postmortem toxicology findings in a multinational cohort of young SrSCD. METHODS Patients with sudden cardiac death (SCD) aged 12 to 49 years with a complete post mortem were included from Denmark, Spain, and Australia. Postmortem findings were compared between SrSCD and non-SrSCD, and toxicology findings in SrSCD were assessed. RESULTS We included 3,189 SCD, of which 219 (7%) were sports-related. SrSCD patients were younger (36 years vs 41 years; P < 0.001) and of male predominance (96% vs 75%; P < 0.001), and their death was more often caused by structural cardiac disease (68% vs 61%; P = 0.038). Positive toxicology screenings were significantly less likely among SrSCD than non-SrSCD (12% vs 43%; P < 0.001), corresponding to 82% lower odds of a positive toxicology screening in SrSCD. Patient characteristics were similar between SrSCDs with positive and negative toxicology screenings, but deaths were more often unexplained (59% vs 34%). Nonopioid analgesics were the most common finding (3%), and SCD-associated drugs were detected in 6% of SrSCD. SUD was more prevalent among the SrSCD with positive toxicology (59% vs 34%). CONCLUSIONS Sports-related SCD mainly occurred in younger men with structural heart disease. They had a significantly lower prevalence of a positive toxicology screening compared with non-SrSCD, and detection of SCD-associated drugs was rare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl J Hansen
- The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Jesper Svane
- The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marie K Palsøe
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julia C Isbister
- Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Pilar Molina
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Valencia, Spain
| | - Benito Morentin
- Basque Institute of Legal Medicine, Bilbao, Spain; Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Bo G Winkel
- The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Kristian Linnet
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jytte Banner
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Joaquin Lucena
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Seville, Spain
| | - Christopher Semsarian
- Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jacob Tfelt-Hansen
- The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Aoe K, Orita Y, Oshita C, Date S, Teragawa H. Fatal myocardial infarction investigated using contrast-enhanced postmortem computed tomography: A case report. Clin Case Rep 2023; 11:e8340. [PMID: 38116516 PMCID: PMC10728368 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Conventional autopsies are considered standard methods for clarifying cause of death. However, because of the increasing use of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other diagnostic imaging techniques, autopsy imaging is now more frequently adopted to identify diseases with unknown causes and sudden deaths. A 84-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction using coronary angiography. After taking oral antiplatelet medication in the catheterization laboratory, the patient suddenly coughed violently, lost consciousness, and was diagnosed with cardiac arrest. Spontaneous circulation did not return after 50 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. To elucidate the cause of the cardiac arrest, we performed contrast-enhanced postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), which revealed cardiac tamponade due to cardiac rupture of the inferior myocardium. Our findings reaffirm the effectiveness of contrast-enhanced PMCT in the diagnosis of sudden death in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Aoe
- Department of Clinical EducationJR Hiroshima HospitalHiroshimaJapan
| | - Yuichi Orita
- Department of Cardiovascular MedicineJR Hiroshima HospitalHiroshimaJapan
| | - Chikage Oshita
- Department of Cardiovascular MedicineJR Hiroshima HospitalHiroshimaJapan
| | - Shuji Date
- Department of RadiologyJR Hiroshima HospitalHiroshimaJapan
| | - Hiroki Teragawa
- Department of Cardiovascular MedicineJR Hiroshima HospitalHiroshimaJapan
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Paratz ED, Spanos C, Rowe S, Fahy L, Nehme Z, Stub D, Zentner D, James P, Pflaumer A, Connell V, Semsarian C, Ingles J, La Gerche A. Prevalence of Multiple Causes of Death Within Young and Middle-Aged People Experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Heart Lung Circ 2023; 32:1451-1456. [PMID: 38036374 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2023.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple causes of death are increasingly reported, particularly in older populations. Rates of multiple causes of young sudden death have not been quantified. METHOD The End Unexplained Cardiac Death (EndUCD) registry was utilised to identify cases of young sudden death (aged 1-50 years) referred for forensic assessment from April 2019 to April 2022. Causes of death were coded according to whether one or more underlying causes of death were identified. Patients were compared according to the number of causes of death, with significant predictors assessed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS 1,085 cases of sudden death were identified. 263 (24.2%) cases had more than one competing cause of their sudden death. The most common multi-causal associations identified were dual non-cardiac causes of the sudden death (n=68), cardiomyopathy with non-cardiac event (n=64) and coronary artery disease with non-cardiac cause (n=63). Multi-causal death was more common in those undergoing comprehensive autopsy examination (95.8% vs 77.6%, p<0.0001), and in the setting of higher body mass index (median 31.3 kg/m2 vs 29.9 kg/m2, p=0.01), older age (44.3 years vs 41.4 years, p<0.0001), non-ventricular cardiac arrest rhythm (93.2% vs 87.3%, p=0.009), and smoking (22.8% vs 14.2%, p=0.001). The strongest predictor of multiple pathologies was comprehensive autopsy examination compared with external inspection, full-body post-mortem computed tomography and review of ancillary documentation and investigations (odds ratio 6.49, 95% confidence interval 3.47-12.14). CONCLUSIONS One-quarter of young sudden deaths have more than one underlying cause, highlighting the value of comprehensive investigations including autopsy. Awareness of the complexity of young sudden death is important, along with multidisciplinary involvement to ensure all contributors to death are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D Paratz
- Department of Cardiology, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.
| | - Cassandra Spanos
- Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Stephanie Rowe
- Department of Cardiology, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Louise Fahy
- Department of Cardiology, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Ziad Nehme
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Dion Stub
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Dominica Zentner
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Paul James
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Andreas Pflaumer
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Vic, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute and The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Vanessa Connell
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Christopher Semsarian
- Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology, Centenary Institute and University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Jodie Ingles
- Department of Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Andre La Gerche
- Department of Cardiology, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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62
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Gadsby Z, Garland J, Thompson M, Ondruschka B, Da Broi U, Tse R. Binucleated Myocytes and Heart Weight: A Preliminary Study Linking Cardiac Hypertrophy and Myocyte Hypertrophy. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2023; 44:273-277. [PMID: 37527350 DOI: 10.1097/paf.0000000000000869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Hypertrophy of the heart is assessed by heart weight (and dimensions) and myocyte hypertrophy. Establishing an association between the two may be useful in assessing hypertrophy in cases where there are limitations in assessing the heart weight. This preliminary study explored the association between the number of binucleated myocytes (a feature of myocyte hypertrophy) in a randomly chosen single high-power field of the left ventricular free wall and heart weight in an adult White population. It also compared the number of binucleated myocytes between cases with increased heart weight (>400 g in female and >500 g in male) and cases with normal heart weight. Heart weight and number of binucleated myocytes correlated significantly in male only. Increased heart weight had a significantly higher number of binucleated myocytes, with 8.5 binucleated myocytes being able to segregate cases with increased heart weight (74% sensitivity and 79% specificity). The results of this study showed the number of binucleated myocytes may have a complementary role in assessing hypertrophy of the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeena Gadsby
- From the Griffith University School of Medicine, Southport, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jack Garland
- Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services, Coopers Plains, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Benjamin Ondruschka
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ugo Da Broi
- Department of Medicine, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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63
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Garland J, Thompson M, Thompson I, Olumbe A, Tse R. Significant difference in cardiac ventricular dimensions when measured using two different standard methods. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2023; 19:479-483. [PMID: 36705885 PMCID: PMC10752913 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-023-00579-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac ventricular dimensions measured at postmortem examination are used to assess whether there is hypertrophy of the heart chambers. However, there is no clear consensus on where these measurements should be taken. Some have proposed this should be measured at the mid-ventricular level, but others advocate it should be measured at a set distance (e.g. 20 mm) from the base of the heart. Twenty consecutive adult hearts were examined and showed the ventricular dimensions were significantly higher (mean: 5-15 mm, p < 0.01) when measured at a level 20 mm from the base of the heart compared to the mid-ventricular level. Of clinical significance is that in slightly less than half the cases, normal ventricular dimensions at mid ventricle level fell within the criteria considered pathological (> 40 mm) when measured at 20 mm from the base of the heart. In terms of actual ventricular dimensions, only the left ventricle diameter measured at 20 mm from the base of the heart correlated significantly (albeit moderately) with heart weight, suggesting it can be a predictor for cardiac hypertrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Garland
- Forensic and Scientific Services, Health Support Queensland, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Melissa Thompson
- Forensic and Scientific Services, Health Support Queensland, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, QLD, Australia
- Griffith University School of Medicine, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Isabella Thompson
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, QLD, Australia
| | - Alex Olumbe
- Forensic and Scientific Services, Health Support Queensland, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, QLD, Australia
- Griffith University School of Medicine, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Rexson Tse
- Forensic and Scientific Services, Health Support Queensland, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, QLD, Australia.
- Griffith University School of Medicine, Southport, QLD, Australia.
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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64
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Somtua P, Jaikang C, Konguthaithip G, Intui K, Watcharakhom S, O’Brien TE, Amornlertwatana Y. Postmortem Alteration of Purine Metabolism in Coronary Artery Disease. Metabolites 2023; 13:1135. [PMID: 37999231 PMCID: PMC10673240 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13111135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A new approach for assisting in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) as a cause of death is essential in cases where complete autopsy examinations are not feasible. The purine pathway has been associated with CAD patients, but the understanding of this pathway in postmortem changes needs to be explored. This study investigated the levels of blood purine metabolites in CAD after death. Heart blood samples (n = 60) were collected and divided into CAD (n = 23) and control groups (n = 37). Purine metabolites were measured via proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Guanosine triphosphate (GTP), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and xanthine levels significantly decreased (p < 0.05); conversely, adenine and deoxyribose 5-phosphate levels significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the CAD group compared to the control group. Decreasing xanthine levels may serve as a marker for predicting the cause of death in CAD (AUC = 0.7). Our findings suggest that the purine pathway was interrupted by physiological processes after death, causing the metabolism of the deceased to differ from that of the living. Additionally, xanthine levels should be studied further to better understand their relationship with CAD and used as a biomarker for CAD diagnosis under decomposition and skeletonization settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phakchira Somtua
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (P.S.); (C.J.); (G.K.); (K.I.); (S.W.)
- Metabolomic Research Group for Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Churdsak Jaikang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (P.S.); (C.J.); (G.K.); (K.I.); (S.W.)
- Metabolomic Research Group for Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Giatgong Konguthaithip
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (P.S.); (C.J.); (G.K.); (K.I.); (S.W.)
- Metabolomic Research Group for Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Kanicnan Intui
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (P.S.); (C.J.); (G.K.); (K.I.); (S.W.)
- Metabolomic Research Group for Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Somlada Watcharakhom
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (P.S.); (C.J.); (G.K.); (K.I.); (S.W.)
- Metabolomic Research Group for Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Timothy E. O’Brien
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660, USA;
| | - Yutti Amornlertwatana
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (P.S.); (C.J.); (G.K.); (K.I.); (S.W.)
- Metabolomic Research Group for Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
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65
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Lohner L, Sinning C, Suling AI, Tse R, Garland J, Ondruschka B. Heart weight must not be measured before dissection during autopsies. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:1751-1755. [PMID: 37723344 PMCID: PMC10567818 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03089-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
During autopsies, weighing the heart is a standard procedure. In addition to myocardial pathologies, heart size, and ventricular wall thickness, heart weight is a common parameter to describe cardiac pathology and should be recorded as accurately as possible. To date, there exists no standard for recording heart weight at autopsy, although some authors recommend weighing the heart after dissection and removal of blood and blood clots. In the study presented, the hearts of 58 decedents were weighed after being dissected out of the pericardial sac (a), after dissection using the short-axis or inflow-outflow method with manual removal of blood and blood clots (b), and after rinsing and drying (c). Depending on the dissection method, the heart weight was 7.8% lower for the inflow-outflow method and 11.6% lower for the short-axis method after dissection compared to before and correspondingly 2.9% to 5% lower again after rinsing and drying respectively. Accordingly, the heart should be dissected, blood and blood clots removed, rinsed with water, and dried with a surgical towel after dissection, before weighing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Lohner
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Christoph Sinning
- University Heart Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Isabella Suling
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rexson Tse
- Griffith University School of Medicine, Southport, QLD, Australia
- Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Jack Garland
- Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin Ondruschka
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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66
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Takahashi Y, Fukuda H, Hayakawa A, Sano R, Kubo R, Kawabata-Iwakawa R, Nakajima T, Ishige T, Tokue H, Asano K, Seki T, Hsiao YY, Ishizawa F, Takei H, Kominato Y. Postmortem genetic analysis of 17 sudden cardiac deaths identified nonsense and frameshift variants in two cases of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:1927-1937. [PMID: 37328711 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03037-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sudden death, or unexpected natural death of a healthy individual, is a serious problem in all nations. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) mainly due to ischemic heart diseases is the top cause of sudden death. However, there are pathophysiological conditions, referred to as sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, in which no apparent lesion can be identified even after complete conventional or ordinary autopsy. While postmortem genetic analyses have accumulated evidence about underlying genetic abnormality in such cases, the precise relationships between genetic background and the phenotype have been largely elusive. In this study, a retrospective investigation of 17 autopsy cases in which lethal arrhythmia was suspected to be the cause of death was carried out. Genetic analysis focusing on 72 genes reported to be associated with cardiac dysfunctions was performed, in combination with detailed histopathological and postmortem imaging examination, and a family study. As a result, in two cases of suspected arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), we found a nonsense variant in PKP2 and frameshift variant in TRPM4 gene. In contrast, the other 15 cases showed no morphological changes in the heart despite the presence of a frameshift variant and several missense variants, leaving the clinical significance of these variants obscure. The findings of the present study suggest that nonsense and frameshift variants could be involved in the morphological abnormality in cases of SCD due to ACM, while missense variants alone rarely contribute to massive structural changes in the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoichiro Takahashi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
- Department of Legal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan.
| | - Haruki Fukuda
- Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Akira Hayakawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Rie Sano
- Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Rieko Kubo
- Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Reika Kawabata-Iwakawa
- Division of Integrated Oncology Research, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Tadashi Nakajima
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishige
- Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tokue
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Kazuya Asano
- Department of Radiology, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Seki
- Department of Legal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Yi-Yang Hsiao
- Department of Legal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Fujio Ishizawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takei
- Department of Radiology, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Japan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Tsukuba International University, Tsuchiura, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Kominato
- Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
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67
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Pakanen L, Appel H, Ahtikoski A, Holm PH, Kreus M, Olsen KB, Banner J, Winkel BG, Huikuri H, Kaarteenaho R, Junttila J. Primary myocardial fibrosis - a distinct entity characterized by heterogeneous histology. Cardiovasc Pathol 2023; 67:107573. [PMID: 37683738 DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2023.107573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary myocardial fibrosis (PMF), defined as myocardial fibrosis in the absence of identifiable causes, may represent a common alternative phenotype in various cardiomyopathies and contribute to sudden cardiac death (SCD). No previous definitions of histopathological characteristics exist for PMF. We aimed to evaluate whether common features of fibrosis could be identified. PMF cases (n = 28) were selected from the FinGesture cohort consisting of 5,869 SCD victims that underwent a medicolegal autopsy. Twelve trauma controls and 10 ischemic heart disease cases were selected as reference groups. Further 3 PMF cases and 5 ischemic heart disease cases from autopsies performed in the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, were selected for a validation substudy. Relative area of fibrosis, amount of diffuse and perivascular fibrosis, and location of fibrosis were assessed from left ventricle myocardial samples stained with Masson trichrome. Further evaluations were performed with alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vimentin, and CD68 stainings. Mean relative area of fibrosis was 5.8 ± 10.7%, 1.0 ± 0.7%, and 7.0 ± 7.4% in PMF, trauma controls, and ischemic cases, respectively. Fibrosis in the PMF group was mostly located in other sites than the endocardium. Most cases with fibrosis had vimentin-positive but α-SMA-negative stromal cells within fibrotic areas. Histopathologically, PMF represents a heterogeneous entity with variable fibrotic lesions affecting the whole myocardium and a suggested significant role of fibroblasts. These findings may bring validation to PMF being a common manifestation of cardiomyopathies. Evidently, PMF stands out as a particular entity demanding special attention as a cause of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Pakanen
- Forensic Medicine Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland; Department of Forensic Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Henrik Appel
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anne Ahtikoski
- Department of Pathology, The Welfare District of Southwest Finland, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Pernille Heimdal Holm
- Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mervi Kreus
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Center of Internal Medicine and Respiratory Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kristine Boisen Olsen
- Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jytte Banner
- Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Heikki Huikuri
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Riitta Kaarteenaho
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Center of Internal Medicine and Respiratory Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Juhani Junttila
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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68
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Votýpka P, Krebsová A, Norambuena-Poustková P, Peldová P, Pohlová Kučerová Š, Kulvajtová M, Dohnalová P, Bílek M, Stufka V, Rücklová K, Grossová I, Wünschová H, Tavačová T, Hašková J, Segeťová M, Štoček J, Gřegořová A, Zoubková V, Petřková J, Dobiáš M, Makuša M, Blanková A, Vajtr D, Řehulka H, Šubrt I, Pilin A, Tomášek P, Janoušek J, Kautzner J, Macek M. Post-mortem genetic testing in sudden cardiac death and genetic screening of relatives at risk: lessons learned from a Czech pilot multidisciplinary study. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:1787-1801. [PMID: 37178278 PMCID: PMC10567875 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03007-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) might have an inherited cardiac condition background. Genetic testing supports post-mortem diagnosis and screening of relatives at risk. Our aim is to determine the feasibility of a Czech national collaboration group and to establish the clinical importance of molecular autopsy and family screening. From 2016 to 2021, we have evaluated 100 unrelated SCD cases (71.0% males, age: 33.3 (12.8) years). Genetic testing was performed by next-generation sequencing utilizing a panel of 100 genes related to inherited cardiac/aortic conditions and/or whole exome sequencing. According to autopsy, cases were divided into cardiomyopathies, sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, sudden unexplained death syndrome, and sudden aortic death. We identified pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants following ACMG/AMP recommendations in 22/100 (22.0%) of cases. Since poor DNA quality, we have performed indirect DNA testing in affected relatives or in healthy parents reaching a diagnostic genetic yield of 11/24 (45.8%) and 1/10 (10.0%), respectively. Cardiological and genetic screening disclose 83/301 (27.6%) relatives at risk of SCD. Genetic testing in affected relatives as starting material leads to a high diagnostic yield offering a valuable alternative when suitable material is not available. This is the first multidisciplinary/multicenter molecular autopsy study in the Czech Republic which supports the establishment of this type of diagnostic tests. A central coordinator and proper communication among centers are crucial for the success of a collaboration at a national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Votýpka
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic.
| | - Alice Krebsová
- Department of Cardiology, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, IKEM, Vídeňská, 1958/9, 140 21, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Patricia Norambuena-Poustková
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Peldová
- Department of Cardiology, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, IKEM, Vídeňská, 1958/9, 140 21, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Štěpánka Pohlová Kučerová
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Charles University and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Kulvajtová
- Institute for Forensic Medicine, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Dohnalová
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Bulovka, Charles University, 2nd, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Matěj Bílek
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Bulovka, Charles University, 2nd, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Stufka
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kristina Rücklová
- Paediatric Department, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Iva Grossová
- Forensic Department of Military University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hanka Wünschová
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Terezia Tavačová
- Faculty of Medicine, Children's Heart Centre, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, 2nd, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Hašková
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Segeťová
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Štoček
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Gřegořová
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Zoubková
- Department of Cardiology, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, IKEM, Vídeňská, 1958/9, 140 21, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Petřková
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine - Cardiology and Laboratory of Cardiogenomics, University Hospital Olomouc and Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Institute of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc and Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, University Hospital Olomouc and Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Dobiáš
- Institute of Forensic Science and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc and Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Makuša
- Forensic Department, Hospital České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alžběta Blanková
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Liberec Regional Hospital, Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - David Vajtr
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Liberec Regional Hospital, Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - Hynek Řehulka
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Šubrt
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Pilsen, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander Pilin
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Tomášek
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Bulovka, Charles University, 2nd, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Janoušek
- Faculty of Medicine, Children's Heart Centre, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, 2nd, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Kautzner
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Macek
- Department of Cardiology, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, IKEM, Vídeňská, 1958/9, 140 21, Prague 4, Czech Republic
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Cotier P, Mayer C, Etting I, Lorin de la Grandmaison G, Alvarez JC. Evaluation of the cardiovascular risk induced by cannabis use from a series of 43 autopsy cases. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:1725-1733. [PMID: 37650902 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03079-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this monocentric observational autopsy study was to confirm the existence of a link between cannabis use and cardiovascular risk. It was based on the analysis of autopsy findings, cardiovascular pathological findings, and toxicological data in 43 autopsy cases of people who died with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their blood over a 2-year period. Hair analysis was performed when available (n = 40) to distinguish between occasional and chronic cannabis use and to take into account other possible exposures, including smoking, drug consumption, and the use of other drugs of abuse (mainly cocaine, heroin, and amphetamine). A statistically significant association (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.001) was found between cannabis use, an undetermined manner of death, and the presence of an arrhythmogenic cardiac condition. An association was also found between cannabis use and the presence of advanced coronary heart disease (p = 0.01), heart disease (including ischemic heart disease, p = 0.003), or cardiomyopathy (p = 0.01). Through its systemic vascular action, cannabis could be a factor in triggering sudden death in subjects with arrhythmogenic cardiac conditions. In view of this finding, the mode of death of subjects who died in the presence of THC in the blood would in most cases be an "accident." These results highlight the potential adverse cardiac effects associated with cannabis use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cotier
- Service de Médecine légale, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP.Paris-Saclay, hôpital Raymond Poincaré, 104 bvd R. Poincaré, 92380, Garches, France
| | - Charlotte Mayer
- Service de Pharmacologie-Toxicologie, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP.Paris-Saclay, 92380, Garches, France
| | - Isabelle Etting
- Service de Pharmacologie-Toxicologie, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP.Paris-Saclay, 92380, Garches, France
| | - Geoffroy Lorin de la Grandmaison
- Service de Médecine légale, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP.Paris-Saclay, hôpital Raymond Poincaré, 104 bvd R. Poincaré, 92380, Garches, France
| | - Jean-Claude Alvarez
- Service de Pharmacologie-Toxicologie, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP.Paris-Saclay, 92380, Garches, France.
- Université Paris-Saclay/Versailles, Inserm U-1018, CESP, Équipe MOODS, Plateforme de spectrométrie de masse, 78180, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France.
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie - Toxicologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Raymond Poincaré, AP-HP, 104, Boulevard R. Poincaré, 92380, Garches, France.
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70
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Montisci R, Licciardi M, Cecchi R, Kondo T, Gerosa G, Casula R, Cecchetto G, Montisci M. Malpratice claims in cardiology and cardiac surgery: A medico-legal issue. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2023; 65:102319. [PMID: 37696211 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Medical liability has become a challenge in every physician's modern practice with the consequent loss of the physician's autonomy and an increase in "defensive medicine". From this perspective, the role of Legal Medicine in assessing medical liability has become increasingly specific and a homogenization of the methods of ascertainment is increasingly necessary, since such a process can contribute to strengthening the guarantees in professional liability procedures. Focusing on malpractice claims in the field of cardiology, the complexity of the management of cardiac pathologies and the frequency of severe adverse events implies the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach, together with the application of a shared ascertainment methodology. In particular, it is essential for the forensic pathologist to collaborate with experts in cardio-pathology, cardiology and/or cardiac surgery in cases of alleged medical liability in the cardiologic field and to follow the guidelines which have been produced to assist the expert dealing with deaths reflecting cardiac disease, in order to prevent criticism of case analysis in medico-legal environments and to promote the standardization of the structure of the juridical-legislative medical malpractice lawsuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Montisci
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - M Licciardi
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - R Cecchi
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Italy.
| | - T Kondo
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University School of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - G Gerosa
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - R Casula
- Clinical Cardiology, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - G Cecchetto
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - M Montisci
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Hansen CJ, Svane J, Lynge TH, Stampe NK, Bhardwaj P, Torp-Pedersen C, Banner J, Tfelt-Hansen J, Winkel BG. Differences among young unwitnessed sudden cardiac death, according to time from last seen alive: Insights from a 15-year nationwide study. Heart Rhythm 2023; 20:1504-1509. [PMID: 37453604 DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More than half of all sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) are unwitnessed, but the composition of the unwitnessed SCD population is poorly described. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and autopsy characteristics of young unwitnessed SCD subjects, based on the time from last contact to being found dead. METHODS All unwitnessed SCD subjects aged 1-35 years in Denmark from 2000-2014 identified through a multisource approach were included. Time from last seen alive to being found dead was dichotomized to <1 hour or 1-24 hours. Clinical characteristics and autopsy results were compared, and predictors of autopsy were assessed by logistic regression. RESULTS Of 440 unwitnessed SCD subjects, 366 (83%) had not been seen alive within 1 hour of being found dead. Comorbidities differed between the groups, with more epilepsy (17% vs 5%) and psychiatric diseases (13% vs 7%) in the 24-hour group. Patients in the 24-hour group died more frequently during sleep (64% vs 23%), the autopsy rate was higher (75% vs 61%), and deaths were more often unexplained after autopsy (69% vs 53%). Having been seen within 1 hour of death independently decreased the chance of being autopsied (odds ratio 0.51; 95% confidence interval 0.27-1.00; P = .0497). CONCLUSION The majority of unwitnessed SCD subjects had not been seen alive within 1 hour of being found dead. Clinical- and autopsy-related characteristics differed between the 2 groups. Differences were mainly attributable to death-related circumstances and comorbidities. Excluding SCD cases not seen alive within 1 hour of being found dead would severely underestimate the burden of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Johann Hansen
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Jesper Svane
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Hadberg Lynge
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Kjær Stampe
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Priya Bhardwaj
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Torp-Pedersen
- Department of Cardiology, Nordsjællands Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark; Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jytte Banner
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacob Tfelt-Hansen
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bo Gregers Winkel
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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72
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Kutlu E, Avci E, Acar K. Postmortem biochemistry in deaths from ischemic heart disease. J Forensic Leg Med 2023; 100:102599. [PMID: 37839363 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2023.102599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and sudden cardiac death worldwide and is an important public health problem. The presence of ischemia in clinical applications can be detected by ECG, biochemical markers, and radiological methods. Myocardial infarction is also frequently encountered in forensic autopsies. Postmortem diagnosis is determined as a result of histopathological examinations and additional exclusionary examinations (toxicology, microbiology, etc.). However, routine histopathological examinations are insufficient, especially when death occurs in the early period of ischemia. It creates a problem for forensic pathologists and forensic medicine specialists in such cases of sudden cardiac death. Postmortem biochemistry is one of the important and promising disciplines in which forensic applications work in order to diagnose these cases correctly. The issue of whether biomarkers used in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction in clinical studies can be used reliably in postmortem cases has been discussed by forensic medicine researchers for some time. This manuscript aims to review and summarize biomarkers belonging to various categories that have been studied in IHD-related deaths, in biological fluids taken at autopsy, or in animal experiments. Our study shows that the postmortem use of biochemical markers in the diagnosis of IHD yields promising results. However, it should not be forgotten that postmortem biochemistry is different from clinical applications due to its dynamics and that the body causes unpredictable changes in markers in the postmortem process. Therefore, comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate the postmortem stability of these markers in different biological fluids, their significance among various causes of death, and whether they are affected by any variable (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Postmortem interval, medications, etc.) before they are routinely applied. It is suggested by the authors that the cut-off values of biomarkers whose significance has been proven by these studies should be determined and that they should be used in this way in routine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erdi Kutlu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Health Harakani State Hospital, Kars, Turkey.
| | - Esin Avci
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
| | - Kemalettin Acar
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
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73
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Bernini Di Michele A, Onofri V, Pesaresi M, Turchi C. The Role of miRNA Expression Profile in Sudden Cardiac Death Cases. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1954. [PMID: 37895303 PMCID: PMC10606010 DOI: 10.3390/genes14101954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the leading causes of death in the world and for this reason it has attracted the attention of numerous researchers in the field of legal medicine. It is not easy to determine the cause in a SCD case and the available methods used for diagnosis cannot always give an exhaustive answer. In addition, the molecular analysis of genes does not lead to a clear conclusion, but it could be interesting to focus attention on the expression level of miRNAs, a class of non-coding RNA of about 22 nucleotides. The role of miRNAs is to regulate the gene expression through complementary binding to 3'-untraslated regions of miRNAs, leading to the inhibition of translation or to mRNA degradation. In recent years, several studies were performed with the aim of exploring the use of these molecules as biomarkers for SCD cases, and to also distinguish the causes that lead to cardiac death. In this review, we summarize experiments, evidence, and results of different studies on the implication of miRNAs in SCD cases. We discuss the different biological starting materials with their respective advantages and disadvantages, studying miRNA expression on tissue (fresh-frozen tissue and FFPE tissue), circulating cell-free miRNAs in blood of patients affected by cardiac disease at high risk of SCD, and exosomal miRNAs analyzed from serum of people who died from SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Bernini Di Michele
- Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Tronto, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (A.B.D.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Valerio Onofri
- Legal Medicine Unit, AOU Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Mauro Pesaresi
- Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Tronto, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (A.B.D.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Chiara Turchi
- Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Tronto, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (A.B.D.M.); (M.P.)
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García-Molina F, Martínez-Díaz F, Hernández Del Rincón JP, Martínez-Pérez M, Pastor-Quirante F. [Cardiac sarcoidosis as an infrequent cause of sudden death in asymptomatic young patients]. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE PATOLOGIA : PUBLICACION OFICIAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE ANATOMIA PATOLOGICA Y DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE CITOLOGIA 2023; 56:284-288. [PMID: 37879827 DOI: 10.1016/j.patol.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis has been described in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The aim of this report is to further the understanding of sarcoidosis and its clinical presentation. We report the autopsy and toxicology results of two cases of sudden death in young men. A 37-year-old male had generalized sarcoidosis, in mediastinal glands and intramyocardial sarcoid granulomas in the left ventricle, which had caused a 14mm thickening of the ventricular wall and a secondary dilated myocardiopathy causing sudden death. A 27-year-old male had extensive sarcoidosis of the lungs and mediastinum. Granulomas with a fibrotic background were found in the cardiac wall which could have originated an arrhythmogenic mechanism causing sudden death. Post-mortem study including careful examination of cardiac conduction pathways are vital to ascertain the cause of sudden death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco García-Molina
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital General Universitario Reina Sofía, Murcia, España.
| | | | | | - Matias Martínez-Pérez
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital General Universitario Reina Sofía, Murcia, España
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75
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Trytell A, Osekowski M, Zentner D, Nehme Z, James P, Pflaumer A, Semsarian C, Ingles J, Stub D, La Gerche A, Paratz ED. Prevalence of illicit drug use in young patients with sudden cardiac death. Heart Rhythm 2023; 20:1349-1355. [PMID: 37295741 DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Illicit drug use may accelerate coronary disease and cardiac hypertrophy or stimulate arrhythmias. Rates of illicit drug use in young patients with sudden cardiac death (SCD) are uncertain. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to identify rates of illicit drug use in young patients with SCD. METHODS A prospective statewide registry identified out-of-hospital patients with cardiac arrest aged 18-50 years from April 2019 to April 2021. Clinical characteristics were compared between patients with and without illicit drug use (defined by toxicological results or reported regular use). Illicit drugs included amphetamine-type substances, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and other drugs. RESULTS A total of 554 (40.2%) of 1378 patients had confirmed cardiac cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with 523 undergoing toxicological assessment. There were 170 patients (32.5%) having either positive toxicology for illicit drugs (n = 138) or negative toxicology but reported regular drug use (n = 32). Patients with SCD and illicit drug use were more commonly male (81.2% vs 72.3%; P = .028), smokers (38.8% vs 19.8%; P ≤ .0001), and excess alcohol drinkers (30.6% vs 20.6%; P = .012) and had a psychiatric diagnosis (38.8% vs 25.7%; P = .002), lower body mass index (29.4 kg/m2 vs 31.7 kg/m2; P = .0063), and lower rates of hypertension (10.6% vs 18.6%; P = .019). Death commonly occurred while sedentary (47.5%) or during sleep (45.8%). Accounting for these baseline differences, there were no differences in rates of coronary disease or cardiomyopathy. Cannabis (n = 106) was the most common illicit drug identified and polysubstance abuse occurred frequently (n = 25). CONCLUSION Approximately one-third of young patients with SCD have positive toxicology at the time of death or reported frequent use of illicit drugs, with high rates of polysubstance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Trytell
- Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Osekowski
- Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dominica Zentner
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ziad Nehme
- Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul James
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Pflaumer
- Department of Cardiology, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Semsarian
- Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology at Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jodie Ingles
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dion Stub
- Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia; Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andre La Gerche
- Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth D Paratz
- Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Arbelo E, Protonotarios A, Gimeno JR, Arbustini E, Barriales-Villa R, Basso C, Bezzina CR, Biagini E, Blom NA, de Boer RA, De Winter T, Elliott PM, Flather M, Garcia-Pavia P, Haugaa KH, Ingles J, Jurcut RO, Klaassen S, Limongelli G, Loeys B, Mogensen J, Olivotto I, Pantazis A, Sharma S, Van Tintelen JP, Ware JS, Kaski JP. 2023 ESC Guidelines for the management of cardiomyopathies. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:3503-3626. [PMID: 37622657 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 532] [Impact Index Per Article: 532.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
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Sacco MA, Gualtieri S, Calanna L, Ricci P, Aquila I. Exploring the Potential of Proteome Analysis as a Promising Tool for Evaluation of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) in Forensic Settings: A Literature Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14351. [PMID: 37762655 PMCID: PMC10531952 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents a global emergency, with a high number of cases affecting all age groups every year. The prevention of these fatal events requires an accurate knowledge of etiology and pathogenesis, which can vary. Autopsy is an indispensable tool in cases of SCD for diagnostic purposes, as well as for judicial and preventive purposes for family members. Despite the completion of all routine post-mortem investigations, it is often complicated for the forensic pathologist to define the triggering cause of these events. The study of the proteome is proving to be extremely promising in the field of human cardiovascular disease. This paper aims to offer a literature review on the study of the proteome in post-mortem cadaveric biological samples obtained from SCD cases. The aim of this work is to outline the state of the art of the scientific advances that protein analysis can offer in the diagnosis of SCD and the limits that various studies have traced up to now. In conclusion, the work defines the future perspectives of this field in SCD, suggesting strategies to overcome the reported limits and improve the diagnostics of these events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Isabella Aquila
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (L.C.); (P.R.)
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Marijon E, Narayanan K, Smith K, Barra S, Basso C, Blom MT, Crotti L, D'Avila A, Deo R, Dumas F, Dzudie A, Farrugia A, Greeley K, Hindricks G, Hua W, Ingles J, Iwami T, Junttila J, Koster RW, Le Polain De Waroux JB, Olasveengen TM, Ong MEH, Papadakis M, Sasson C, Shin SD, Tse HF, Tseng Z, Van Der Werf C, Folke F, Albert CM, Winkel BG. The Lancet Commission to reduce the global burden of sudden cardiac death: a call for multidisciplinary action. Lancet 2023; 402:883-936. [PMID: 37647926 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)00875-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite major advancements in cardiovascular medicine, sudden cardiac death (SCD) continues to be an enormous medical and societal challenge, claiming millions of lives every year. Efforts to prevent SCD are hampered by imperfect risk prediction and inadequate solutions to specifically address arrhythmogenesis. Although resuscitation strategies have witnessed substantial evolution, there is a need to strengthen the organisation of community interventions and emergency medical systems across varied locations and health-care structures. With all the technological and medical advances of the 21st century, the fact that survival from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains lower than 10% in most parts of the world is unacceptable. Recognising this urgent need, the Lancet Commission on SCD was constituted, bringing together 30 international experts in varied disciplines. Consistent progress in tackling SCD will require a completely revamped approach to SCD prevention, with wide-sweeping policy changes that will empower the development of both governmental and community-based programmes to maximise survival from SCA, and to comprehensively attend to survivors and decedents' families after the event. International collaborative efforts that maximally leverage and connect the expertise of various research organisations will need to be prioritised to properly address identified gaps. The Commission places substantial emphasis on the need to develop a multidisciplinary strategy that encompasses all aspects of SCD prevention and treatment. The Commission provides a critical assessment of the current scientific efforts in the field, and puts forth key recommendations to challenge, activate, and intensify efforts by both the scientific and global community with new directions, research, and innovation to reduce the burden of SCD worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloi Marijon
- Division of Cardiology, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France; Paris-Sudden Death Expertise Center (Paris-SDEC), Paris, France.
| | - Kumar Narayanan
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France; Paris-Sudden Death Expertise Center (Paris-SDEC), Paris, France; Medicover Hospitals, Hyderabad, India
| | - Karen Smith
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Silverchain Group, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sérgio Barra
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital da Luz Arrábida, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Cristina Basso
- Cardiovascular Pathology Unit-Azienda Ospedaliera and Department of Cardiac Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Marieke T Blom
- Department of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lia Crotti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin, Cardiomyopathy Unit and Laboratory of Cardiovascular Genetics, Department of Cardiology, Milan, Italy
| | - Andre D'Avila
- Department of Cardiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Cardiology, Hospital SOS Cardio, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Rajat Deo
- Department of Cardiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Florence Dumas
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France; Paris-Sudden Death Expertise Center (Paris-SDEC), Paris, France; Emergency Department, Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Anastase Dzudie
- Cardiology and Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, DoualaGeneral Hospital, Douala, Cameroon; Yaounde Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Audrey Farrugia
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kaitlyn Greeley
- Division of Cardiology, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France; Paris-Sudden Death Expertise Center (Paris-SDEC), Paris, France
| | | | - Wei Hua
- Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, FuWai Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jodie Ingles
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Taku Iwami
- Kyoto University Health Service, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Juhani Junttila
- MRC Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Rudolph W Koster
- Heart Center, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Theresa M Olasveengen
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Oslo University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marcus E H Ong
- Singapore General Hospital, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Michael Papadakis
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Sang Do Shin
- Department of Emergency Medicine at the Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hung-Fat Tse
- University of Hong Kong, School of Clinical Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Cardiac and Vascular Center, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zian Tseng
- Division of Cardiology, UCSF Health, University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Christian Van Der Werf
- University of Amsterdam, Heart Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fredrik Folke
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Herlev and Gentofte, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christine M Albert
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bo Gregers Winkel
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Kotta M, Torchio M, Bayliss P, Cohen MC, Quarrell O, Wheeldon N, Marton T, Gentilini D, Crotti L, Coombs RC, Schwartz PJ. Cardiac Genetic Investigation of Sudden Infant and Early Childhood Death: A Study From Victims to Families. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e029100. [PMID: 37589201 PMCID: PMC10547337 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.029100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Background Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death up to age 1. Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is similar but affects mostly toddlers aged 1 to 4. SUDC is rarer than SIDS, and although cardiogenetic testing (molecular autopsy) identifies an underlying cause in a fraction of SIDS, less is known about SUDC. Methods and Results Seventy-seven SIDS and 16 SUDC cases underwent molecular autopsy with 25 definitive-evidence arrhythmia-associated genes. In 18 cases, another 76 genes with varying degrees of evidence were analyzed. Parents were offered cascade screening. Double-blind review of clinical-genetic data established genotype-phenotype correlations. The yield of likely pathogenic variants in the 25 genes was higher in SUDC than in SIDS (18.8% [3/16] versus 2.6% [2/77], respectively; P=0.03), whereas novel/ultra-rare variants of uncertain significance were comparably represented. Rare variants of uncertain significance and likely benign variants were found only in SIDS. In cases with expanded analyses, likely pathogenic/likely benign variants stemmed only from definitive-evidence genes, whereas all other genes contributed only variants of uncertain significance. Among 24 parents screened, variant status and phenotype largely agreed, and 3 cases positively correlated for cardiac channelopathies. Genotype-phenotype correlations significantly aided variant adjudication. Conclusions Genetic yield is higher in SUDC than in SIDS although, in both, it is contributed only by definitive-evidence genes. SIDS/SUDC cascade family screening facilitates establishment or dismissal of a diagnosis through definitive variant adjudication indicating that anonymity is no longer justifiable. Channelopathies may underlie a relevant fraction of SUDC. Binary classifications of genetic causality (pathogenic versus benign) could not always be adequate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria‐Christina Kotta
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
| | - Margherita Torchio
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
| | - Pauline Bayliss
- Department of Clinical GeneticsSheffield Children’s NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Marta C. Cohen
- Department of HistopathologySheffield Children’s NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Oliver Quarrell
- Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Nigel Wheeldon
- Cardiothoracic CentreNorthern General Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Tamás Marton
- Cellular Pathology DepartmentBirmingham Women’s and Children’s HospitalBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Davide Gentilini
- Bioinformatics and Statistical Genetics UnitIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
| | - Lia Crotti
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Robert C. Coombs
- Department of NeonatologySheffield Teaching Hospitals. NHS TrustSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Peter J. Schwartz
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular GeneticsIRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilanItaly
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Trancuccio A, Kukavica D, Sugamiele A, Mazzanti A, Priori SG. Prevention of Sudden Death and Management of Ventricular Arrhythmias in Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy. Card Electrophysiol Clin 2023; 15:349-365. [PMID: 37558305 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccep.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is an umbrella term for a group of inherited diseases of the cardiac muscle characterized by progressive fibro-fatty replacement of the myocardium. As suggested by the name, the disease confers electrical instability to the heart and increases the risk of the development of life-threatening arrhythmias, representing one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD), especially in young athletes. In this review, the authors review the current knowledge of the disease, highlighting the state-of-the-art approaches to the prevention of the occurrence of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Trancuccio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Molecular Cardiology, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Deni Kukavica
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Molecular Cardiology, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Sugamiele
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Mazzanti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Molecular Cardiology, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Silvia G Priori
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Molecular Cardiology, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Pavia, Italy.
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81
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Bhatia RT, Finocchiaro G, Westaby J, Chatrath N, Behr ER, Papadakis M, Sharma S, Sheppard MN. Myocarditis and Sudden Cardiac Death in the Community: Clinical and Pathological Insights From a National Registry in the United Kingdom. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2023; 16:e012129. [PMID: 37565354 PMCID: PMC10615359 DOI: 10.1161/circep.123.012129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Raghav T. Bhatia
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Kingston-upon-Hull, United Kingdom (R.T.B.)
| | - Gherardo Finocchiaro
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
| | - Joseph Westaby
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
- Cardiovascular Pathology Department, St George’s, University of London, United Kingdom (J.W., M.N.S.)
| | - Nikhil Chatrath
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
| | - Elijah R. Behr
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
| | - Michael Papadakis
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
| | - Sanjay Sharma
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
| | - Mary N. Sheppard
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group and Cardiology Research Centre, St. George’s, University of London, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (R.T.B., G.F., J.W., N.C., E.R.B., M.P., S.S., M.N.S.)
- Cardiovascular Pathology Department, St George’s, University of London, United Kingdom (J.W., M.N.S.)
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82
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Fischer F, Lafleur L, Lackermair K. [Cardiac implantable electric devices in forensic medicine : Overview from the forensic and cardiology perspective]. Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol 2023; 34:212-217. [PMID: 37401929 DOI: 10.1007/s00399-023-00952-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
In 2021, about 75,000 persons in Germany died unnaturally or due to unexplained reasons. As a consequence, there are difficulties in more precisely identifying the time, cause and circumstances of death. Nevertheless, clarification is crucial not only from the clinical perspective, but these data are of considerable importance in the context of investigative procedures as they can be used to answer numerous legally relevant questions. Cardiac implantable devices (CIED) are of vital importance in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. In 2020 about 100,000 patients underwent CIED implantation in Germany. Therefore, CIED are present in a relevant proportion of the deceased mentioned above. The valuable source of information represented by postmortal CIED interrogation has been shown in numerous studies. Nevertheless, postmortal CIED interrogation is not routinely performed in the context of forensic medical examinations for reasons of practicability. This article summarizes benefits and limitations of postmortal CIED interrogation from the perspective of forensic medicine and cardiology and gives a recommendation for realization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Fischer
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, LMU München, Nußbaumstraße 26, 80336, München, Deutschland
| | - Laurent Lafleur
- Oberlandesgericht München, Nymphenburger Str. 16, 80335, München, Deutschland
| | - Korbinian Lackermair
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, LMU Klinikum München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland.
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83
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De Gaspari M, Mazzucato M, Bueno Marinas M, Angelini A, Calore C, Perazzolo Marra M, Pilichou K, Corrado D, Thiene G, Rizzo S, Basso C. Is Congenital Muscular Mitral-Aortic Discontinuity Another Feature of Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy? A Pathology Validation Study. J Transl Med 2023; 103:100196. [PMID: 37302528 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2023.100196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited myocardial disease at risk of sudden cardiac death and heart failure, even requiring heart transplantation. A "muscular mitral-aortic discontinuity" has been reported during surgery in the obstructive form. We aimed to validate these findings through pathological analysis of HCM heart specimens from the cardiovascular pathology tissue registry. Hearts with septal asymmetric HCM from sudden cardiac death, other causes of death, or heart transplantation were included. Sex-matched and age-matched patients without HCM served as controls. Gross and histologic analysis of the mitral valve (MV) apparatus and the mitral-aortic continuity were performed. Thirty HCM hearts (median age, 29.5 years; 15 men) and 30 controls (median age, 30.5 years; 15 men) were studied. In HCM hearts, a septal bulging was present in 80%, an endocardial fibrous plaque in 63%, a thickening of the anterior MV leaflet in 56.7%, and an anomalous insertion of papillary muscle in 10%. All cases but 1 (97%) revealed a myocardial layer overlapping the mitral-aortic fibrous continuity on the posterior side, corresponding to the left atrial myocardium. A negative correlation between the length of this myocardial layer and the age and the anterior MV leaflet length was found. The length did not differ between HCM and controls. Pathologic study of obstructive HCM hearts does not confirm the existence of a "muscular mitral-aortic discontinuity". An extension of left atrial myocardium, overlapping posteriorly the intervalvular fibrosa, is rather visible, and its length decreases with age, possibly as a consequence of left atrial remodeling. Our study highlights the fundamental role of thorough gross examination and the value of organ retention for further analysis in order to validate new surgical and imaging findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica De Gaspari
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Mazzucato
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Bueno Marinas
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Annalisa Angelini
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Chiara Calore
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Martina Perazzolo Marra
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Kalliopi Pilichou
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Domenico Corrado
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Gaetano Thiene
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Stefania Rizzo
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy
| | - Cristina Basso
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy.
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84
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Tfelt-Hansen J, Garcia R, Albert C, Merino J, Krahn A, Marijon E, Basso C, Wilde AAM, Haugaa KH. Risk stratification of sudden cardiac death: a review. Europace 2023; 25:euad203. [PMID: 37622576 PMCID: PMC10450787 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euad203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is responsible for several millions of deaths every year and remains a major health problem. To reduce this burden, diagnosing and identification of high-risk individuals and disease-specific risk stratification are essential. Treatment strategies include treatment of the underlying disease with lifestyle advice and drugs and decisions to implant a primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and perform ablation of the ventricles and novel treatment modalities such as left cardiac sympathetic denervation in rare specific primary electric diseases such as long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. This review summarizes the current knowledge on SCD risk according to underlying heart disease and discusses the future of SCD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Tfelt-Hansen
- Cardiology Department, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
- Section of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Frederik V’s Vej 11, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Rodrigue Garcia
- Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Poitiers, 2 rue de la Milétrie, Poitiers 86000, France
- Centre d'Investigation Clinique 1402, University Hospital of Poitiers, 2 rue de la Milétrie, Poitiers 86000, France
| | - Christine Albert
- Cardiology Department, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jose Merino
- Department of Cardiology, La Paz University Hospital, IdiPaz, P. Castellana, 261, Madrid 28046, Spain
- Department of Cardiology, Viamed Santa Elena University Hospital, C/La Granja, 8, Madrid 28003, Spain
| | - Andrew Krahn
- Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eloi Marijon
- Cardiology Department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Cristina Basso
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, Padova 35121, Italy
| | - Arthur A M Wilde
- Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Cardiology, Heart Failure and Arrhythmias, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kristina Hermann Haugaa
- ProCardio Center for Innovation, Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
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Paratz ED, van Heusden A, Zentner D, Morgan N, Smith K, Thompson T, James P, Connell V, Pflaumer A, Semsarian C, Ingles J, Parsons S, Rauchberger I, Stub D, La Gerche A. Sudden Cardiac Death in People With Schizophrenia: Higher Risk, Poorer Resuscitation Profiles, and Differing Pathologies. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2023; 9:1310-1318. [PMID: 37558287 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with schizophrenia account for approximately 1.0% of the population and seem to experience increased rates of sudden cardiac death (SCD). OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine characteristics of increased SCD in people with schizophrenia. METHODS The End Unexplained Cardiac Death (EndUCD) prospective state-wide registry compared people aged 15 to 50 years with and without schizophrenia who experienced SCD within a 2-year time period and were referred for forensic evaluation. RESULTS We identified 579 individuals, of whom 65 (11.2%) had schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia were more commonly smokers (46.2% vs 23.0%; P < 0.0001), consumed excess alcohol (32.3% vs 21.4%; P = 0.05), and used QTc-prolonging medications (69.2% vs 17.9%; P < 0.0001). They were less likely to arrest while exercising (0.0% vs 6.4%; P = 0.04). Unfavorable arrest-related factors included lower rates of witnessed arrest (6.2% vs 23.5%; P < 0.0001), more likely to be found in asystole (92.3% vs 73.3%; P < 0.0001), and being more likely to be found as part of a welfare check after a prolonged period of time (median 42 hours vs 12 hours; P = 0.003). There was more frequent evidence of decomposition, and they more commonly underwent autopsy (41.2% vs 26.4%; P = 0.04 and 93.8% vs 82.5%; P = 0.05), with a diagnosis of nonischemic cardiomyopathy being more common (29.2% vs 18.1%; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS People with schizophrenia account for 11% of young SCD patients referred for forensic investigations, exceeding population rates by 11-fold. They have a higher preexisting cardiac risk factor burden, unfavorable resuscitation profiles, and higher rates of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Strategies targeting biopsychosocial support may deliver not only psychological benefits, but also help to decrease unwitnessed cardiac arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D Paratz
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
| | | | - Dominica Zentner
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natalie Morgan
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karen Smith
- Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tina Thompson
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul James
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vanessa Connell
- The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Pflaumer
- The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher Semsarian
- Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology at Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jodie Ingles
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Parsons
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia; Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ilan Rauchberger
- Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dion Stub
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia; Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andre La Gerche
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
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Roosendaal J, Oosting R, Kloos DP, de Boer HH, van den Berg JDJ, Oldenhof S, Bosman IJ. A fatal mono-intoxication with 4-fluoroisobutyrylfentanyl: Case report with postmortem concentrations. J Anal Toxicol 2023; 47:541-546. [PMID: 37315188 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkad034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
We report on a case of a 35-year-old man who died suddenly and unexpectedly due to a 4-fluoroisobutyrylfentanyl (4-FIBF) mono-intoxication. Pathological, toxicological and chemical investigations were conducted at the Netherlands Forensic Institute. A full three-cavity forensic pathological examination was performed according to international guidelines. Biological samples obtained during autopsy were comprehensively investigated for the presence of toxic substances using headspace gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection, liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS), GC-MS, high-performance LC with diode array detection and LC-tandem MS (LC-MS-MS). The seized crystalline substance found next to the body was investigated using a presumptive color test, GC-MS, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Pathological investigation identified minor lymphocytic infiltrates in the heart, considered irrelevant for the cause of death. Toxicological analysis of the victims' blood indicated the presence of a fluorobutyrylfentanyl (FBF) isomer, with no other compounds detected. The FBF isomer was identified in the seized crystalline substance as 4-FIBF. 4-FIBF concentrations were quantified in femoral blood (0.030 mg/L), heart blood (0.12 mg/L), vitreous humor (0.067 mg/L), brain tissue (>0.081 mg/kg), liver tissue (0.44 mg/kg) and urine (approximately 0.01 mg/L). Based on the outcomes of the pathological, toxicological and chemical investigations, the cause of death of the deceased was attributed to a fatal 4-FIBF mono-intoxication. The presented case underlines the added value of a combined bioanalytical and chemical investigative approach to identify and subsequently quantify fentanyl isomers in postmortem cases. Furthermore, it demonstrates the importance of investigating the postmortem redistribution of novel fentanyl analogs to establish reference values and to subsequently allow for correct interpretation of cause of death analysis in future casework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Roosendaal
- Department of Toxicology, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, The Hague, 2497 GB, The Netherlands
| | - Roelof Oosting
- Department of Toxicology, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, The Hague, 2497 GB, The Netherlands
| | - Dick-Paul Kloos
- Department of Toxicology, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, The Hague, 2497 GB, The Netherlands
| | - Hans H de Boer
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 65 Kavanagh St, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia
| | - Jorrit D J van den Berg
- Department of Illicit Drugs, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, The Hague, 2497 GB, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Oldenhof
- Department of Illicit Drugs, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, The Hague, 2497 GB, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid J Bosman
- Department of Toxicology, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, The Hague, 2497 GB, The Netherlands
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Hogea T, Noemi N, Suciu BA, Brinzaniuc K, Chinezu L, Arbănași EM, Kaller R, Carașca C, Arbănași EM, Vunvulea V, Hălmaciu I, Mureșan AV, Russu E, Ciucanu CC, Radu CM, Radu CC. Increased Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Heart Characteristics Are Correlated with BMI and Predict Silent Myocardial Infarction in Sudden Cardiac Death Subjects: An Autopsy Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2157. [PMID: 37443551 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant global public health issue and the leading cause of death worldwide. Its etiopathogenesis is complex and multilayered, involving dynamic factors interacting with a preexistent cardiovascular pathology, frequently unknown, and resulting in cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiac arrest; Methods: This study conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis over a one-year period, identifying 321 autopsy cases of sudden deaths from the Institute of Legal Medicine in Mures County, Romania, in 2019. From the 321 sudden death cases, 189 autopsy reports were selected for analysis based on inclusion and exclusion; Results: The autopsies had a mean age of 61.16 years and included 140 males and 49 females. No significant differences were found between the silent myocardial infarction (SMI) and no-SMI groups regarding demographic data. The SMI group exhibited higher thickness of LV (left ventricle), IV (interventricular septum), EAT LCx (epicardial adipose tissue at left circumflex artery), EAT LAD (epicardial adipose tissue at left anterior descending artery), heart weight, and BMI (body mass index). The left coronary artery showed a higher incidence of type V plaques, while the right coronary artery showed higher incidences of type V and type VI plaque. The SMI group also exhibited a higher incidence of moderate and severe valvular atherosclerosis, severe left ventricle dilatation, and a lower incidence of mild left ventricle dilatation. In addition, the SMI group showed a higher presence of contraction band necrosis on histological examination. Multivariate analysis revealed that type V and type VI plaques for the right and left coronary arteries, moderate and severe valvular atherosclerosis, severe left ventricle dilatation, heart weight, EAT LCx, EAT LAD, LV thickness, IV thickness, BMI, and the presence of contraction band necrosis are all independent predictors of SMI; Conclusions: The findings suggest that SCD is a complex condition, and its etiopathogenesis involves dynamic factors interacting with pre-existing cardiovascular pathology. The risk factors of SCD are similar to those of ischemic heart disease. The findings of this study could guide clinicians in identifying patients at risk of SCD and implementing preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timur Hogea
- Department of Forensic Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, 540141 Targu Mures, Romania
- Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Nagy Noemi
- Department of Forensic Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Bogdan Andrei Suciu
- Department of Anatomy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Klara Brinzaniuc
- Department of Anatomy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Laura Chinezu
- Department of Histology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Emil Marian Arbănași
- Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Réka Kaller
- Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Cosmin Carașca
- Department of Forensic Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, 540141 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Eliza Mihaela Arbănași
- Faculty of Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Vlad Vunvulea
- Department of Anatomy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Radiology, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Ioana Hălmaciu
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, 540141 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Radiology, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Adrian Vasile Mureșan
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Eliza Russu
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
| | | | - Casandra Maria Radu
- Doctoral School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, 1 University Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
| | - Corina Carmen Radu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, 540141 Targu Mures, Romania
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Beccacece L, Abondio P, Giorgetti A, Bini C, Pelletti G, Luiselli D, Pelotti S. A Genome-Wide Analysis of a Sudden Cardiac Death Cohort: Identifying Novel Target Variants in the Era of Molecular Autopsy. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1265. [PMID: 37372445 DOI: 10.3390/genes14061265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an unexpected natural death due to cardiac causes, usually happening within one hour of symptom manifestation or in individuals in good health up to 24 h before the event. Genomic screening has been increasingly applied as a useful approach to detecting the genetic variants that potentially contribute to SCD and helping the evaluation of SCD cases in the post-mortem setting. Our aim was to identify the genetic markers associated with SCD, which might enable its target screening and prevention. In this scope, a case-control analysis through the post-mortem genome-wide screening of 30 autopsy cases was performed. We identified a high number of novel genetic variants associated with SCD, of which 25 polymorphisms were consistent with a previous link to cardiovascular diseases. We ascertained that many genes have been already linked to cardiovascular system functioning and diseases and that the metabolisms most implicated in SCD are the lipid, cholesterol, arachidonic acid, and drug metabolisms, suggesting their roles as potential risk factors. Overall, the genetic variants pinpointed herein might be useful markers of SCD, but the novelty of these results requires further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Beccacece
- Computational Genomics Lab, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Abondio
- aDNA Lab, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna Campus, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Arianna Giorgetti
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Carla Bini
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Guido Pelletti
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Donata Luiselli
- aDNA Lab, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna Campus, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Susi Pelotti
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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89
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Thiene G. Autopsy and sudden death. Eur Heart J Suppl 2023; 25:C118-C129. [PMID: 37125299 PMCID: PMC10132616 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartjsupp/suad014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Our story dates back in the late 70s, when a series of juvenile sudden death (SD) occurred in the Veneto region, north east of Italy. A successful application for a prospective study on young people dying suddenly (<35-year-old, sudden infant death syndrome excluded) was submitted to the regional health authorities, thus implementing a network of collaboration with local anatomic and forensic pathologists, to collect all such events and to gather demographic data. The project is still in progress, and since then, we studied hundreds of consecutive juvenile SD cases, allowing to identify the culprit diseases in the various organs and cardiac structures (aorta, coronary arteries, myocardium, valves, and conduction system). The long-standing Veneto region experience clearly shows that autopsy still plays a pivotal role in the study and prevention of SD and should be carried out regularly. With time, the investigation of SD moved from the classic post-mortem study to molecular autopsy, especially in cases of SD with structurally normal heart. Sudden death prevention in the young has to be faced by an interdisciplinary team, including pathologists, cardiologists, sport physicians, and geneticists, the clinicopathologic correlation method still being the polar star. The game in the fight against SD is still played in the anatomical theatre, the place where 'death enjoys to save lives'.
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90
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Sherpa MD, Sonkawade SD, Jonnala V, Pokharel S, Khazaeli M, Yatsynovich Y, Kalot MA, Weil BR, Canty JM, Sharma UC. Galectin-3 Is Associated with Cardiac Fibrosis and an Increased Risk of Sudden Death. Cells 2023; 12:1218. [PMID: 37174619 PMCID: PMC10177039 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myocardial fibrosis is a common postmortem finding among individuals with Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that increased galectin-3 (gal3) expression into the myocardium is associated with higher incidence of fibrosis. Although elevated gal3 expression is linked with myocardial fibrosis, its role in predicting the risk of SCD is unknown. METHODS We reviewed the clinical datasets and post-mortem examination of 221 subjects who had died suddenly. We examined myocardial pathology including the extent of cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and the degree of coronary atherosclerosis in these subjects. In a select group of SCD subjects, we studied myocardial gal3 and periostin expression using immunohistochemistry. To further examine if a higher level of circulating gal3 can be detected preceding sudden death, we measured serum gal3 in a porcine model of subtotal coronary artery ligation which shows an increased tendency to develop lethal cardiac arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. RESULTS Of the total 1314 human subjects screened, 12.7% had SCD. Comparison of age-matched SCD with non-SCD subjects showed that SCD groups had excessive myocardial fibrosis involving both the left ventricular free wall and interventricular septum. In pigs with subtotal coronary artery ligation and SCD, we detected significantly elevated circulating gal3 levels approximately 10 days preceding the SCD event. Immunohistochemistry showed increased myocardial gal3 and periostin expression in pigs that died suddenly, compared to the controls. CONCLUSION Our study shows that increased gal3 is associated with a higher risk of myocardial fibrosis and the risk of SCD. This supports the importance of larger translational studies to target gal3 to prevent cardiac fibrosis and attenuate the risk of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingma D. Sherpa
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - Swati D. Sonkawade
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - Vinesh Jonnala
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - Saraswati Pokharel
- Division of Thoracic Pathology and Oncology, Department of Pathology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Mahyar Khazaeli
- Department of Pathology, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Yan Yatsynovich
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - Mohamad A. Kalot
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - Brian R. Weil
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - John M. Canty
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
| | - Umesh C. Sharma
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (M.D.S.)
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McLeod EV, Walsh JC, Haigney MC, Franzos MA, Hellwig LD. Exertional-Related Sudden Cardiac Death in a Young, Presumed Healthy, and Medically Screened Population: A Military Case Series. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2023:00000433-990000000-00071. [PMID: 37093871 DOI: 10.1097/paf.0000000000000830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is defined as death from cardiac causes with loss of consciousness occurring within 1 hour of a change in cardiovascular status. As subset, SCD associated with physical exertion (SCD/E) can be defined as a cardiac event whose symptoms start during or within 1 hour of physical exertion. The US military represents a unique opportunity for studying SCD/E because of medical screening at recruitment, mandatory physical training, an active surveillance system, and centralized autopsy services. Because of medical screening, recruits are presumed healthy, but significant conditions can go undetected. We present 4 diverse cases of SCD/E in the military setting. Sudden cardiac death associated with physical exertion is often the first indication of a serious occult cardiac pathology. Postmortem genetic testing revealed a causative pathogenic mutation in 1 of 4 cases, enabling genetic testing of family members to prevent similar catastrophic loss of life, underscoring the importance of postmortem evaluation including genetic testing. Further investigations will help direct screening and prevention to capture those at risk for SCD. The cases presented in this series are a sample of the diverse etiologies and contexts surrounding SCD/E in the military setting that have been captured by Armed Forces Medical Examiner System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth V McLeod
- From the National Capital Consortium, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - John C Walsh
- Forensic Pathology Investigations, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, Dover, DE
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Ben Ahmed H, Bellali M, Allouche E, Allouche M, Belhadj A, Ben Khelil M, Shimi M, Razghallah R, Banasr A, Benzarti A, Bezdah L, Hamdoun M. [Circadian and septadian variation in sudden cardiac death : Autopsy registry of the Tunisian North]. Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) 2023; 72:101597. [PMID: 37075563 DOI: 10.1016/j.ancard.2023.101597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several studies have suggested a circadian and septadian pattern of incidence of sudden cardiac death with a morning peak and a Monday peak. OBJECTIVE To analyze the circadian and septadian pattern of occurrence of sudden cardiac death in the eight northern Tunisian governorates. METHODS We prospectively collected epidemiological and autopsy data of sudden cardiac death victims occurring in the northern region of Tunisia between January 2013 and December 2019. RESULTS The population included 1834 men (79.6%) and 468 women (20.4%) with a mean age of 56.5 ± 14 years. Smoking (53.9%) was the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor. One-fifth (20.9%) of victims had known heart disease, and 3% had a family history of sudden death. ischemic heart disease was the leading cause of sudden death (46.8% of cases). One- fourth (25.7%) of autopsies were negative. Analysis of the circadian pattern of occurrence of sudden cardiac death identified a peak (36.1%, p < 0.001) between midnight and 6 am. This nocturnal excess mortality was significant (p < 0.001) and independent of sex (34.1 % in men and 43.8 % in women) and cause of death (39.3 % of cases of sudden ischemic death and 33.3 % of cases of nonischemic death). Moreover, there was a significant septadian variability in the occurrence of sudden death (p: 0.0015), with a peak on Friday (15.8 %, p: 0.042). CONCLUSION This study showed a peak of sudden death between midnight and 6 am, and on Fridays, confirming the modification of the classic circadian and septadian pattern of sudden death occurrence. These results may help optimize the deployment of emergency mobile teams and structures during the most vulnerable periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Ben Ahmed
- Service de cardiologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - M Bellali
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - E Allouche
- Service de cardiologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie.
| | - M Allouche
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - A Belhadj
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - M Ben Khelil
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - M Shimi
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - R Razghallah
- Service de cardiologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - A Banasr
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - A Benzarti
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - L Bezdah
- Service de cardiologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
| | - M Hamdoun
- Service de Médecine Légale Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis. Faculté de Médecine, Université Tunis El Manar 2092-Tunis, Tunisie
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93
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Oualha D, Ben Abderrahim S, Ben Abdeljelil N, BelHadj M, Ben Jomâa S, Saadi S, Zakhama A, Haj Salem N. Cardiac rupture during acute myocardial infarction : Autopsy study (2004-2020). Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) 2023; 72:101601. [PMID: 37060875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ancard.2023.101601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cardiac rupture is a rare but critical complication of myocardial infarction with an incidence of 1 to 3% of cases. We aimed in this autopsy study to analyze the anatomical, epidemiological, cardiac, and coronary profiles of cardiac rupture in the Monastir region. METHODS We conducted a descriptive study with retrospective data collection of all cases of myocardial infarction complicated by a cardiac rupture over seventeen years (2004-2020). RESULTS Thirty-one cases were included in this study. The mean age of the cases was 67 years with a male predominance. Sixteen cases (57%) had cardiovascular risk factors. The most common symptomatology reported before death was acute chest pain in 57% of cases. Fourteen cases (45%) corresponded to the definition of sudden cardiac death. At autopsy, the heart had a mean weight of 452.78 grams. A large hemopericardium was associated in 90% of cases. Myocardial rupture involved the posterior wall of the left ventricle in 50% of cases. The myocardial rupture occurred at a site of acute myocardial infarction in 86% of cases and on a myocardial scar in 14% of cases. The coronary study showed double or triple vessel atherosclerotic coronary artery disease in 57% of cases with fresh thrombi at the infarct-related coronary in 11% of cases. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis found that cardiac rupture mostly involved elderly subjects with underlying cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings sustain that age is a determining prognostic factor after acute coronary syndrome with the need for further education and awareness-raising efforts to speed up access to care for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorra Oualha
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Sarra Ben Abderrahim
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Ibn El Jazzar University Hospital, Kairouan, Tunisia.
| | - Nouha Ben Abdeljelil
- Department of Pathological Anatomy and Cytology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Meriem BelHadj
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Sami Ben Jomâa
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Said Saadi
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Abdelfateh Zakhama
- Department of Pathological Anatomy and Cytology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Nidhal Haj Salem
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, June 1st 1995 Street, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
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94
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Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) pathophysiological point of view can be either mechanical or electrical. In case of mechanical SCD, the most frequent causes are pulmonary thromboembolism and cardiac tamponade due to intrapericardial rupture (aortic dissection, heart rupture). This distinction is important because cardiac arrest retains survival potential through cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillators only if the rhythm is shockable. The heart diseases that can cause SCD vary according to the age of the individual. In young people, primary electrical diseases ('ion channel diseases') and cardiomyopathies (particularly hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic), both genetically determined and therefore potentially recurred in the proband's family, as well as myocarditis and coronary anomalies prevail; in adult-elderly populations, coronary atherosclerosis with its complications and degenerative valve diseases (aortic stenosis and mitral valve prolapse) predominate. In this short text, the main structural heart diseases characterized by electrical instability at risk of SCD will be recalled, with a focus on coronary, myocardial, and valvular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica De Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Pathology, Padua Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Stefania Rizzo
- Cardiovascular Pathology, Padua Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gaetano Thiene
- Cardiovascular Pathology, Padua Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Cristina Basso
- Corresponding author. Tel: +39 049 827 2286, Fax: +39 049 821 2284,
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95
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Finocchiaro G, Radaelli D, D'Errico S, Papadakis M, Behr ER, Sharma S, Westaby J, Sheppard MN. Sudden Cardiac Death Among Adolescents in the United Kingdom. J Am Coll Cardiol 2023; 81:1007-1017. [PMID: 36922085 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Causes and precipitating factors of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in adolescents are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to investigate the etiologies of SCD and their association with physical activity in a large cohort of adolescents. METHODS Between 1994 and June 2022, 7,675 cases of SCD were consecutively referred to our national cardiac pathology center; 756 (10%) were adolescents. All cases underwent detailed autopsy evaluation by expert cardiac pathologists. Clinical information was obtained from referring coroners. RESULTS A structurally normal heart, indicative of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome was the most common autopsy finding (n = 474; 63%). Myocardial diseases were detected in 163 cases (22%), including arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (n = 36; 5%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n = 31; 4%), idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 31; 4%), and myocarditis (n = 30; 4%). Coronary artery anomalies were identified in 17 cases (2%). Decedents were competitive athletes in 128 cases (17%), and 159 decedents (21%) died during exercise. Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in 8% of athletes compared with 4% of nonathletes (P = 0.05); coronary artery anomalies were significantly more common in athletes (9% vs 1%; P < 0.001), as well as commotio cordis (5% compared with 1% in nonathletes; P = 0.001). The 3 main comorbidities were asthma (n = 58; 8%), epilepsy (n = 44; 6%), and obesity (n = 40; 5%). CONCLUSIONS Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome and myocardial diseases are the most common conditions diagnosed at autopsy in adolescent victims of SCD. Among causes of SCD, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, coronary artery anomalies, and commotio cordis are more common in young athletes than in similar age sedentary individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gherardo Finocchiaro
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom; Cardiothoracic Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom; King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Radaelli
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefano D'Errico
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Michael Papadakis
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elijah R Behr
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjay Sharma
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Westaby
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mary N Sheppard
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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96
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Genetically determined cardiomyopathies at autopsy: the pivotal role of the pathologist in establishing the diagnosis and guiding family screening. Virchows Arch 2023; 482:653-669. [PMID: 36897369 PMCID: PMC10067659 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03523-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Cardiomyopathies (CMP) comprise a heterogenous group of diseases affecting primarily the myocardium, either genetic and/or acquired in origin. While many classification systems have been proposed in the clinical setting, there is no internationally agreed pathological consensus concerning the diagnostic approach to inherited CMP at autopsy. A document on autopsy diagnosis of CMP is needed because the complexity of the pathologic backgrounds requires proper insight and expertise. In cases presenting with cardiac hypertrophy and/or dilatation/scarring with normal coronary arteries, a suspicion of inherited CMP must be considered, and a histological examination is essential. Establishing the actual cause of the disease may require a number of tissue-based and/or fluid-based investigations, be it histological, ultrastructural, or molecular. A history of illicit drug use must be looked for. Sudden death is frequently the first manifestation of disease in case of CMP, especially in the young. Also, during routine clinical or forensic autopsies, a suspicion of CMP may arise based on clinical data or pathological findings at autopsy. It is thus a challenge to make a diagnosis of a CMP at autopsy. The pathology report should provide the relevant data and a cardiac diagnosis which can help the family in furthering investigations, including genetic testing in case of genetic forms of CMP. With the explosion in molecular testing and the concept of the molecular autopsy, the pathologist should use strict criteria in the diagnosis of CMP, and helpful for clinical geneticists and cardiologists who advise the family as to the possibility of a genetic disease.
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97
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Moreira JD, Gower AC, Xue L, Alekseyev Y, Smith KK, Choi SH, Ayalon N, Farb MG, Tenan K, LeClerc A, Levy D, Benjamin EJ, Lenburg ME, Mitchell RN, Padera RF, Fetterman JL, Gopal DM. Systematic dissection, preservation, and multiomics in whole human and bovine hearts. Cardiovasc Pathol 2023; 63:107495. [PMID: 36334690 PMCID: PMC10031913 DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2022.107495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We sought to develop a rigorous, systematic protocol for the dissection and preservation of human hearts for biobanking that expands previous success in postmortem transcriptomics to multiomics from paired tissue. BACKGROUND Existing cardiac biobanks consist largely of biopsy tissue or explanted hearts in select diseases and are insufficient for correlating whole organ phenotype with clinical data. METHODS We demonstrate optimal conditions for multiomics interrogation (ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing, untargeted metabolomics) in hearts by evaluating the effect of technical variables (storage solution, temperature) and simulated postmortem interval (PMI) on RNA and metabolite stability. We used bovine (n=3) and human (n=2) hearts fixed in PAXgene or snap-frozen with liquid nitrogen. RESULTS Using a paired Wald test, only two of the genes assessed were differentially expressed between left ventricular samples from bovine hearts stored in PAXgene at 0 and 12 hours PMI (FDR q<0.05). We obtained similar findings in human left ventricular samples, suggesting stability of RNA transcripts at PMIs up to 12 hours. Different library preparation methods (mRNA poly-A capture vs. rRNA depletion) resulted in similar quality metrics with both library preparations achieving >95% of reads properly aligning to the reference genomes across all PMIs for bovine and human hearts. PMI had no effect on RNA Integrity Number or quantity of RNA recovered at the time points evaluated. Of the metabolites identified (855 total) using untargeted metabolomics of human left ventricular tissue, 503 metabolites remained stable across PMIs (0, 4, 8, 12 hours). Most metabolic pathways retained several stable metabolites. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate a technically rigorous, reproducible protocol that will enhance cardiac biobanking practices and facilitate novel insights into human CVD. CONDENSED ABSTRACT Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Current biobanking practices insufficiently capture both the diverse array of phenotypes present in CVDs and the spatial heterogeneity across cardiac tissue sites. We have developed a rigorous and systematic protocol for the dissection and preservation of human cardiac biospecimens to enhance the availability of whole organ tissue for multiple applications. When combined with longitudinal clinical phenotyping, our protocol will enable multiomics in hearts to deepen our understanding of CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Moreira
- Evans Department of Medicine and The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam C Gower
- Department of Medicine, Section of Computational Biomedicine, and Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liying Xue
- Evans Department of Medicine and The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuriy Alekseyev
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karan K Smith
- Evans Department of Medicine and The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seung H Choi
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nir Ayalon
- Cardiovascular Medicine Section, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Melissa G Farb
- Evans Department of Medicine and The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth Tenan
- BU Microarray and Sequencing Resource, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ashley LeClerc
- BU Microarray and Sequencing Resource, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Levy
- Population Sciences Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Medicine, Preventive Medicine & Epidemiology Section, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Emelia J Benjamin
- Department of Medicine, Preventive Medicine & Epidemiology Section, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Boston Medical Center/Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc E Lenburg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Computational Biomedicine, and Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard N Mitchell
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert F Padera
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica L Fetterman
- Evans Department of Medicine and The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Deepa M Gopal
- Evans Department of Medicine and The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Cardiovascular Medicine Section, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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98
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Fiorentini C, Leone O, Bronzetti G, Pascali JP, Graziosi M, Pelotti S, Fais P. Sudden cardiac death related to left coronary artery anomalies including hypoplasia and anomalous origin with retro-aortic course. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2023; 61:102186. [PMID: 36563565 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2022.102186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries are a rare condition with an incidence of 0.3-1.3% in the general population. Clinically, sometimes these anomalies increase the risk of myocardial ischemia, which can present with a wide spectrum of symptoms, from angina to sudden cardiac death (SCD). This case report is about the SCD of an 8-year-old male, in apparent good health, during a football training. Although basic life support maneuvers were performed timely from bystanders and medical staff, the automated external defibrillator (AED) was not used. Autopsy revealed multiple left coronary artery (LCA) anomalies: origin from a separate ostium in the right sinus of Valsalva, slit-like shape of the ostium, acute angle take-off of the LCA from the aorta, retro-aortic course and focal coronary hypoplasia of some branches of the LCA. Microscopic examination revealed diffuse ischemic consequences at a different stage of tissue repair and mild multifocal lymphocytic infiltration. No other significant elements were detected at post-mortem examination. We discuss the forensic evaluation about the cause and the manner of death, considering also the modality of the resuscitation attempts and the claimed malpractice, as often occurs in case of sudden unexpected death in young athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Fiorentini
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ornella Leone
- Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Division of Pathology, IRCCS S. Orsola Hospital and University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriele Bronzetti
- Paediatric Cardiology Unit, Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Department, IRCCS S. Orsola Hospital and University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Jennifer Paola Pascali
- Department of Cardiologic, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Maddalena Graziosi
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, IRCCS S. Orsola Hospital and University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Susi Pelotti
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Fais
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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99
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Kutlu E, Çil N, Avci E, Bir F, Kiliç İD, Dereli AK, Acar K. Significance of postmortem biomarkers and multimarker strategy in sudden cardiac death. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2023; 61:102212. [PMID: 36738552 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The most common cause in the etiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is ischemic heart disease due to atherosclerosis. Postmortem diagnosis can be made by histopathological examinations, but routine histopathological examinations are limited, especially in the early period of postmortem ischemia. For this reason, many methods are being investigated for the postmortem diagnosis of ischemia, and postmortem biochemical studies are promising. In our study, we evaluated the biochemical markers; hs-cTnT, NT-proBNP, H-FABP, pentraxin-3, copeptin, ischemic modified albumin (IMA), and PAPP-A in postmortem serums. In forensic pathology practice, it was investigated whether it would be useful to go to the diagnosis by measuring more than one marker in a single biological fluid in SCD cases. The study included 35 sudden cardiac death cases and 24 control cases and as a result of our study, hs-cTnT, NT-proBNP, and H-FABP values were found to be significantly higher in the SCD group than in the control group. Within the scope of the multi-marker strategy, models were tried to be developed in which the markers were used together, and it was concluded that the model consisting of the myocardial ischemia marker hs-cTnT, the myocardial stress marker NT-proBNP, and the inflammation marker pentraxin 3 was the most accurate combination by correctly classifying the cases at a rate of 94.9%. As a result, it was thought that it would be appropriate to use the multi-marker strategy which is widely used in clinical applications, also in forensic medicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erdi Kutlu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey
| | - Nazlı Çil
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey.
| | - Esin Avci
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey.
| | - Ferda Bir
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey.
| | - İsmail Doğu Kiliç
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Kurtuluş Dereli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey
| | - Kemalettin Acar
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı Kampüsü, 20200 Denizli, Turkey.
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100
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Kelly KL, Lin PT, Basso C, Bois M, Buja LM, Cohle SD, d'Amati G, Duncanson E, Fallon JT, Firchau D, Fishbein G, Giordano C, Leduc C, Litovsky SH, Mackey-Bojack S, Maleszewski JJ, Michaud K, Padera RF, Papadodima SA, Parsons S, Radio SJ, Rizzo S, Roe SJ, Romero M, Sheppard MN, Stone JR, Tan CD, Thiene G, van der Wal AC, Veinot JP. Sudden cardiac death in the young: A consensus statement on recommended practices for cardiac examination by pathologists from the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology. Cardiovasc Pathol 2023; 63:107497. [PMID: 36375720 DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2022.107497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden cardiac death is, by definition, an unexpected, untimely death caused by a cardiac condition in a person with known or unknown heart disease. This major international public health problem accounts for approximately 15-20% of all deaths. Typically more common in older adults with acquired heart disease, SCD also can occur in the young where the cause is more likely to be a genetically transmitted process. As these inherited disease processes can affect multiple family members, it is critical that these deaths are appropriately and thoroughly investigated. Across the United States, SCD cases in those less than 40 years of age will often fall under medical examiner/coroner jurisdiction resulting in scene investigation, review of available medical records and a complete autopsy including toxicological and histological studies. To date, there have not been consistent or uniform guidelines for cardiac examination in these cases. In addition, many medical examiner/coroner offices are understaffed and/or underfunded, both of which may hamper specialized examinations or studies (e.g., molecular testing). Use of such guidelines by pathologists in cases of SCD in decedents aged 1-39 years of age could result in life-saving medical intervention for other family members. These recommendations also may provide support for underfunded offices to argue for the significance of this specialized testing. As cardiac examinations in the setting of SCD in the young fall under ME/C jurisdiction, this consensus paper has been developed with members of the Society of Cardiovascular Pathology working with cardiovascular pathology-trained, practicing forensic pathologists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cristina Basso
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health - University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Emily Duncanson
- Jesse E. Edwards Registry of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Katarzyna Michaud
- University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne - Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Sarah Parsons
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Stefania Rizzo
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health - University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | | | - Mary N Sheppard
- St. George's Medical School, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Gaetano Thiene
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health - University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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