title: [Investigation of the causes of infant sudden unexpected death in children younger than one year in Bariloche city and surrounding areas].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the beginning of 2002 there were an unusually high number of sudden unexpected infant deaths. A prospective study was started to determine the cause of unexpected deaths in infants younger than 1 year.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Investigate the possible causes of sudden and unexpected death in infants of Bariloche and surrounding areas, using a protocol created for that purpose.
  
  
  METHODS
  All infants under 1 year of age who died unexpectedly between May 2002 and April 2007 were studied. A complete physical examination, a thorough interrogation to the parents and an autopsy were performed. According to the findings a definitive diagnosis was made on each case.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period 10 infants younger than 1 year died. One case was excluded because the autopsy could not be done. The mean age was 74 days, 6 were males. All died while sleeping and no sign of disease were noticed in any case. In 6 cases, the autopsy findings explained the death. In the 3 others no cause for the death was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of this protocol allowed to find out the cause of death in 6 cases, that could not have been achieved without the autopsy.
authors.affiliation: Comité de Auditoría de las muertes infantiles y maternas, Hospital Zonal de Bariloche Dr. Ramón Carrillo, Bariloche.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herbón
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: María del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Cancilliere
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology*; D014505:Urban Population