title: [The analysis of pathological changes of cardiac conduction system in 54 cases of cardiac sudden deaths].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the exact cause of death in cases of cardiac sudden deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sampling of cardiac conduction system (CCS) designed by the research group was adopted. The CCS of 120 cases died of cardiac sudden deaths were collected for routine histological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 54 out of 120 cases, the causes of death were attributed to lesions present in the CCS, and 85.2% of them were young adults. The peak age range was from 20 - 30. Much more in males (6.7:1). The pathological changes in CCS include: inflammation (46.2%), fatty infiltration, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associated with CCS changes; hemorrhage, developmental anomalies, fibrosis and tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pathological changes of CCS are relatively common, as the cause of sudden deaths. Which is considered to be the pathological basis of the unstable cardiac electric potentials and arrhythmia. This study recommended the necessity of routine examination on CCS in cases of sudden deaths.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou 515031.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors