Refining the World Health Organization Definition: Predicting Autopsy-Defined Sudden Arrhythmic Deaths Among Presumed Sudden Cardiac Deaths in the POST SCD Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Conventional definitions of sudden cardiac death (SCD) presume cardiac cause. We studied the World Health Organization-defined SCDs autopsied in the POST SCD study (Postmortem Systematic Investigation of SCD) to determine whether premortem characteristics could identify autopsy-defined sudden arrhythmic death (SAD) among presumed SCDs.

Methods

Between January 2, 2011, and January 4, 2016, we prospectively identified all 615 World Health Organization-defined SCDs (144 witnessed) 18 to 90 years in San Francisco County for medical record review and autopsy via medical examiner surveillance. Autopsy-defined SADs had no extracardiac or acute heart failure cause of death. We used 2 nested sets of premortem predictors-an emergency medical system set and a comprehensive s

SUBMITTER: Tseng ZH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6738572 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature