Characterizing sudden death and dead-in-bed syndrome in Type 1 diabetes: analysis from two childhood-onset Type 1 diabetes registries.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Type 1 diabetes mellitus increases the risk for sudden unexplained death, generating concern that diabetes processes and/or treatments underlie these deaths. Young (< 50 years) and otherwise healthy patients who are found dead in bed have been classified as experiencing 'dead-in-bed' syndrome.

Methods

We thus identified all unwitnessed deaths in two related registries (the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County) yielding 1319 persons with childhood-onset (age < 18 years) Type 1 diabetes diagnosed between 1965 and 1979. Cause of death was determined by a Mortality Classification Committee (MCC) of at least two physician epidemiologists, based on the death certificate and additional records surrounding the death.

Results

Of the 329 participants who

SUBMITTER: Secrest AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3045678 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature