Histological Changes in the Thyroid Gland in Cases of Infant and Early Childhood Asphyxia-A Preliminary Study.
A retrospective blinded study of thyroid gland histology was undertaken in 50 infants and young children aged from 1 to 24 months. Deaths were due to (i) suffocation (N = 7), hanging (4), wedging (3), and chest and/or neck compression (4), and (ii) SIDS (20), noncervical trauma (7), organic disease, (4) and drug toxicity (1). In the asphyxia group (N = 18), thyroid gland congestion ranged from 0 to 3+ with 39% of cases (7/18) having moderate/marked congestion. In three cases, focal aggregates of red blood cells (blood islands) were observed within the intrafollicular colloid. These deaths involved chest compression, chest and/or neck compression, and crush asphyxia in a vehicle accident, and all had facial petechiae. Only 22% of the 32 control cases (7/32) had moderate/marked congestion with no blood islands being identified (p < 0.05). Blood islands within the thyroid gland may be caused by congestion associated with crushing or compression and may provide supportive evidence for this diagnosis.
The University of Adelaide School of Medical Sciences, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.|Forensic Science SA, 21 Divett Place, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
Roger W
RW
Byard
Forensic Science SA, 21 Divett Place, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
Maria
M
Bellis
D000059:Accidents; D001237:Asphyxia; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011693:Purpura; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013398:Sudden Infant Death; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*
blood islands; compression; crush asphyxia; facial petechiae; forensic science; thyroid gland