Molecular Autopsy in SIDS Cases

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the sudden unexpected death of an infant less than 1 year of age that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation. It includes performance of a complete autopsy, review of the circumstances of death and clinical history. Regarding cause of death, if the autopsy remains inconclusive, inherited arrhythmogenic disorders should be suspected as the main potential cause of decease. Currently, inherited cardiac diseases associated with SCD can be classified into two main groups [1]. 1.Channelopathies; arrhythmogenic substrate is found in the electrical properties of the heart because mutations occurs in genes mainly encoding ion channels or associated proteins. This group includes Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), Brugada Syndrome (BrS), Short QT Syndrome (SQTS), or Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT).