[Heart and sudden infant death. Anatomopathological study of 100 cases].
BACKGROUND
Post-mortem examination of infants with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is essential for understanding the cause and/or mechanism of death. This study aims to evaluate the contributions of heart in SIDS.


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


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


CONCLUSIONS
This study underlines the importance of studying numerous samples of each heart of microscopic examination of many sections.
D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000473:pathology*
Coeur et mort subite du nourrisson. Etude anatomopathologique de 100 cas.