Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Epidemiology of Sudden Unexpected Natural Medico-legal Deaths in Central Delhi


Affiliations
1 Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Objectives: To study the epidemiological, magnitude, clinical, and pathological characteristics of sudden unexpected non-violent deaths (SUNDs) in central Delhi.

Material & Method: Autopsy based retrospective study of all SUNDs carried out in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi. All records were studied in detail; age, sex, time and month of date, cause of death etc.

Results: Total 2773 medico-legal autopsies were conducted from 1st January, 2006 to 31st December 2010. Out of that, 915 (32.99%) cases were of SUNDs. Male and female ratio was 13:1. The maximum 279 (30.49%) sudden deaths were reported in age group 41-50 years followed by 51-60 years i.e. 201 (21.96%). The most common cause of death in all age groups including all identified and unidentified individuals was pulmonary pneumonitis (n=508, 55.76%) followed by tuberculosis (n=175, 19.20%) and CAD (n=144, 15.73%). But in identified individual alone CAD was commonest (n=135, 36.78%) cause of SUNDs and followed by Pulmonary pneumonitis (32.97%). Maximum 122 (13.33%) deaths were reported in September.

Conclusion: Observations suggest that most of the SUNDs were due to preventable causes and meticulous autopsy and study of histopathology and toxicological analysis could be important to ascertain the cause of death.


Keywords

Sudden Unexpected Natural Death (Sunds), Autopsy, Coronary Artery Disease, Pulmonary Pneumonitis, Tuberculosis
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • International classification of diseases (ICD-102). Geneva, World Health Organization, 2005.

  • Krahn AD et al. Diminishing proportional risk of sudden death with advancing age: implications for prevention of sudden death. American Heart Journal, 2004, 147:837–840.

  • Zanjad Naresh P, Nanadkar S. D. Study of sudden unexpected deaths in Medico-Legal autopsies. Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine 2006; 28(1):27-30.

  • Gupta Sanjay, Panchal Ravi, Sondarva Divyesh. An approach to sudden natural deaths in medicolegal autopsies at Karamsad, Gujarat. Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine Jan-Mar 2011; 33(1): 30-33.

  • Escoffery CT, Shirley SE. Causes of sudden natural death in Jamaica: a medicolegal (coroner’s) autopsy study from the University Hospital of the West Indies. Forensic Sci Int. 2002 Sep 26; 129(2):116-21.

  • Udnoon J, Chariyavej T, Peonin V. Sudden unexpected deaths in different age groups at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand: a retrospective autopsy study during 2003-2007. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2009 Jan; 40(1):162-8.

  • Nafal H.K., Abdulmoshen M.F., Khamis A.H. Incidence and cause of sudden deaths in University hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2011;17(9):66-69.

  • Goraya TY et al. Coronary heart disease death and sudden cardiac death: a 20-year populationbased study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 2003, 157:763–770.

  • Murai T et al. Sudden death due to cardiovascular disorders: a review of the studies on the medicolegal cases in Tokyo. Keio Journal of Medicine, 2001, 50:175–181.

  • Kuller L, Cooper M, Parper. Epidemiology of Sudden death. Arch.Intern.Med. 1972; 129:714.

  • Tunstall-Pedoe H, Kuulasmaa K. Amouyel P. et al. Myocardial infarction and Coronory deaths in the World Health Organization MONICA Project registration procedures, event rates, and casefatality rates in 38 populations from 21 countries in four continents. Circulation 1994; 90:583-612.

  • SarkiojaT, Hirvoren J. Causes of Sudden Unexpected deaths in young and middle aged persons. Forensic Science International. 1984; 24: 247.

  • Raymond JR, Van den Berg EK and Knapp MJ. Non traumatic pre hospital Sudden death in young adults. Arch.Intern.Med. 1988; 148:303-8.

  • Anderson R E, Hill RB, Broudy DW, Key CR and Pathak D. A population based autopsy of Sudden, Unexpected deaths from Natural causes among persons 5 to 39 yrs old during a 12 year period. Human Pathol. 1994; 25:1332-40.

  • Hoon RS, Balasubramania V. Coronary Artery disease as a cause of Sudden death in Indians. Indian Heart.J. 1971; 23:134.

  • Kumar V, San KP, Idwan A, Shah N, Hajar S, Norkahfi M. A study of sudden natural deaths in medico legal autopsies in University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur. J Form Lag Med. Apr 2007; 14(3):151-4.

  • Anders Siboni, Jørn Simonsen Sudden unexpected natural death in young persons. Forensic Sci Int. July 1986; 31(3):159–166

  • Chahine R. Cardiovascular risk factors: smoking in the context of recent events in Lebanon. Santé (Montrouge, France), 1998, 8:109–112.

  • Kawakubo K, Lee JS. Incidence rate of sudden death in Japan. Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2005, 63:1127–1134.

  • Loire R, Tabib A. Unexpected sudden cardiac death. An evaluation of 1000 autopsies. Archives des Maladies du Coeur et des Vaisseaux, 1996, 89:13–18.

  • Katz A et al. Seasonal variation in sudden death in the Negev 20. Desert region of Israel. Israel Medical Association Journal, 2000, 2:17–21.


Abstract Views: 708

PDF Views: 0




  • Epidemiology of Sudden Unexpected Natural Medico-legal Deaths in Central Delhi

Abstract Views: 708  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Rahul Band
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
Pradeep Yadav
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
Mukesh Kumar
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India

Abstract


Objectives: To study the epidemiological, magnitude, clinical, and pathological characteristics of sudden unexpected non-violent deaths (SUNDs) in central Delhi.

Material & Method: Autopsy based retrospective study of all SUNDs carried out in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi. All records were studied in detail; age, sex, time and month of date, cause of death etc.

Results: Total 2773 medico-legal autopsies were conducted from 1st January, 2006 to 31st December 2010. Out of that, 915 (32.99%) cases were of SUNDs. Male and female ratio was 13:1. The maximum 279 (30.49%) sudden deaths were reported in age group 41-50 years followed by 51-60 years i.e. 201 (21.96%). The most common cause of death in all age groups including all identified and unidentified individuals was pulmonary pneumonitis (n=508, 55.76%) followed by tuberculosis (n=175, 19.20%) and CAD (n=144, 15.73%). But in identified individual alone CAD was commonest (n=135, 36.78%) cause of SUNDs and followed by Pulmonary pneumonitis (32.97%). Maximum 122 (13.33%) deaths were reported in September.

Conclusion: Observations suggest that most of the SUNDs were due to preventable causes and meticulous autopsy and study of histopathology and toxicological analysis could be important to ascertain the cause of death.


Keywords


Sudden Unexpected Natural Death (Sunds), Autopsy, Coronary Artery Disease, Pulmonary Pneumonitis, Tuberculosis

References