Next generation sequencing: a possible answer to sudden unexplained deaths in a young South African cohort?

ABSTRACT: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a major public health concern. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including South Africa, there is a lack of reliable statistics on the incidence of SCD, even though there has been a fourfold increase in noncommunicable diseases (NCD), particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Sudden cardiac death contributes to an estimated 50% of all cardiovascular deaths, which highlights South Africa's need for research into better detection, treatment and prevention. This study aimed to identify an inherited cardiac arrhythmogenic disorder, linked to variants in cardiomyopathy- and arrhythmia-related genes, as a potential contributing factor to sudden cardiac deaths. DNA was extracted from blood samples collected at autopsy of 51 sudden unexpected death (SUD) cases, and subje

SUBMITTER: van Deventer BS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12491335 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature