[Frequency of causes of death related to sudden infant death syndrome in Denmark during the period 1972-1983].
Differences in the incidence of infant mortality due to sudden infant death syndrome between the regions of the three Institutes of Forensic Medicine in Denmark are known to exist. To investigate whether these could be due to differences in incidence of causes of death such as suffocation and respiratory infections, the rates and types of autopsy were analysed regarding these death causes. The number of deaths due to these causes and the development in the incidence cannot explain the variation of the incidence of SIDS, in the areas observed. For each of the three periods under consideration (1972-1975, 1976-1979, 1980-1983) the variation between institutes in SIDS-rate is relatively larger than the variation in the total rate of deaths due to these three groups of death causes. In the latest period the total rate is 1.93, 1.77 and 1.27 per 1,000 liveborn in Cophenhagen, Odense and Arhus areas, respectively. The study suggests different evaluations of the results of autopsy. A higher incidence of deaths due to congenital heart defects is seen in Arhus, where the lowest incidence of SIDS is observed. A prospective study (1987-1988) of all cases of sudden infant death in Denmark was initiated by the three forensic Institutes with the aim of evaluating possible time and regional incidence variations using identical diagnostic criteria.
Knudsen
L B
LB
Sundhedsstyrelsen, København.
Helweg-Larsen
K
K
D002423:Cause of Death; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology*
Hyppighed af tilgraensende dødsårsager til pludselige uventede spaedbarnsdødsfald i Danmark 1972-1983.