title: [Influence of cause of death on body and internal organs weight in perinatal autopsies].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate changes in body and internal organ weight of autopsied children in the perinatal period and their relationship with the cause of death.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty three cases of perinatal autopsies performed at a university hospital in Southeastern Brazil ere included. Information about cause of perinatal death, date of autopsy, gestational age, perinatal weight and organ weight was obtained from the autopsy protocols and medical records of the mother and/or the newborn. Four groups of causes of death were defined: congenital malformations, perinatal hypoxia/anoxia, ascending infection and hyaline membrane. Brain, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, thymus and adrenals were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The weight of children with perinatal hypoxia/anoxi (1,834.6±1,090.1 g versus 1,488 g), hyaline membranes (1,607.2±820.1 g versus 1,125 g) and ascending infection (1,567.4±1,018.9 g versus 1,230 g) was higher than expected for the population. Lung weight was higher in cases with ascending infection (36.6±22.6 g versus 11 g) and lower in cases with congenital malformations (22.0±9.5 g versus 40 g). Spleen weight was higher in children with ascending infection (8.6±8.9 g versus 3.75 g ) and adrenal weight was lower in cases with congenital malformations (3.9±2.1 g versus 5.5 g). Thymus weight was lower in cases with miscellaneous causes (3.7±1.2 g versus 7.5 g) and spleen weight was lower in patients with lung immaturity (0.4±0.1 g versus 1.7 g). All results showed significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that variations in the weight of children and the weight of their organs are related to the types of cause of perinatal death. These data may contribute to a better interpretation of autopsy findings and their anatomical and clinical relationship.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e Naturais, UberabaMG, Brasil, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e Naturais; Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro - UFTM - Uberaba (MG), Brasil.
authors.forename: Rosana Rosa Miranda
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e Naturais, UberabaMG, Brasil, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e Naturais; Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro - UFTM - Uberaba (MG), Brasil.
authors.forename: Laura Penna
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão PretoSP, Brasil, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto; Universidade de São Paulo - USP - Ribeirão Preto (SP), Brasil.
authors.forename: Caetano Galvão
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Petrini
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e Naturais, UberabaMG, Brasil, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e Naturais; Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro - UFTM - Uberaba (MG), Brasil.
authors.forename: Vicente de Paula Antunes
authors.initials: Vde P
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Pathology, PittsburghPA, USA, Department of Pathology; Texas Children's Hospital; Baylor College of Medicine - Pittsburgh (PA), USA.
authors.forename: Eumenia Costa da Cunha
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Castro
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D001835:Body Weight; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D066087:Perinatal Death
vernacular_title: Influência da causa de morte no peso corporal e dos órgãos internos em autópsias perinatais.