Population-based study of pediatric sudden death in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to estimate the incidence of pediatric sudden death (SD) in Taiwan.


METHODS
Cases of SD were identified from National Health Insurance databases, 2000 to 2006.


RESULTS
In the Taiwan pediatric population (age, 0 to 18 years; 5.44 million), the neonatal, infant, postneonatal infant, and under-5 years mortality rates were 3, 6, 2.81, and 8.02 per 1000 live births, and the 1 to 18 years mortality rate was 33 per 100 000 person-years. There were 1528 SDs (59% boys). In the population 1 to 18 years, annual incidence of SD was 2.7 (95% confidence interval, 2.6 to 2.9), ranging from 0.7 (11 to 12 years) to 6.1 (1 to 2 years) per 100 000. Male predominance was noted (3.2 vs 2.2 per 100 000), particularly in groups ages 16, 17, and 18 years. The proportionate mortality ratio by SD ranged from 1.8% to 12.0% (8.9 +/- 2.2%), being lowest in the group ages 11 to 12 years. In infants, the incidence of SD was 0.36 per 1000 live births, and the proportionate mortality ratio by SD was 1.0% and 11.7% in the neonates and postneonatal infants.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of pediatric SD in Taiwan, an Asian country with a child health care index comparable with that in the United States, was within the range from Western reports and indicated male predominance and a nadir around 11 to 12 years.
Wu
Mei-Hwan
MH
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. wumh@ntu.edu.tw
Chen
Hui-Chi
HC
Wang
Jou-Kou
JK
Chiu
Hsin-Hui
HH
Huang
Shin-Chung
SC
Huang
San-Kuei
SK
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D046688:Child Mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology