title: Mortality among infants born with orofacial clefts in a single cleft network.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine mortality rate and cause of death in infants born with orofacial clefts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case note review of all children with orofacial clefts within the East of England Cleft Network who have died.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2002 and 2010, of 638 children born with orofacial clefts, 23 died at a median age of 5 months (range, 1 day to 4 years). The overall mortality rate was 36 per 1000 cleft births. A total of 21 deaths were in the isolated cleft palate group, with a calculated death rate of 68.1 per 1000. One child each from the cleft lip and the cleft lip and palate groups died. Of the children who died, 21 (91%) had other structural abnormalities. Of these children, 19 (83%) died before their first birthday. The causes of death were mainly due to associated congenital anomalies (61%) and infection (17%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children born with cleft palate have a 15-fold increase in mortality compared with the regional East of England infant mortality rate and at least a 10-fold increase when compared with other clefts. Pediatricians should be involved in the care of these complicated patients.
authors.affiliation: , Basildon Hospital, United Kingdom, 19 Goodey Road, Barking, Essex, United Kingdom IG11 9PB. soklengkang@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Sok-Leng
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Chidambara Subramanian
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.forename: Wilf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kelsall
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000401:mortality*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000401:mortality*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies