Cardiac channel molecular autopsy: insights from 173 consecutive cases of autopsy-negative sudden unexplained death referred for postmortem genetic testing

Tester, David J.; Medeiros Domingo, Argelia; Will, Melissa L.; Haglund, Carla M.; Ackerman, Michael J. (2012). Cardiac channel molecular autopsy: insights from 173 consecutive cases of autopsy-negative sudden unexplained death referred for postmortem genetic testing. Mayo Clinic proceedings, 87(6), pp. 524-539. Elsevier 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.02.017

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OBJECTIVE

To perform long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia cardiac channel postmortem genetic testing (molecular autopsy) for a large cohort of cases of autopsy-negative sudden unexplained death (SUD).

METHODS

From September 1, 1998, through October 31, 2010, 173 cases of SUD (106 males; mean ± SD age, 18.4 ± 12.9 years; age range, 1-69 years; 89% white) were referred by medical examiners or coroners for a cardiac channel molecular autopsy. Using polymerase chain reaction, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and DNA sequencing, a comprehensive mutational analysis of the long QT syndrome susceptibility genes (KCNQ1, KCNH2, SCN5A, KCNE1, and KCNE2) and a targeted analysis of the catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia type 1-associated gene (RYR2) were conducted.

RESULTS

Overall, 45 putative pathogenic mutations absent in 400 to 700 controls were identified in 45 autopsy-negative SUD cases (26.0%). Females had a higher yield (26/67 [38.8%]) than males (19/106 [17.9%]; P<.005). Among SUD cases with exercise-induced death, the yield trended higher among the 1- to 10-year-olds (8/12 [66.7%]) compared with the 11- to 20-year-olds (4/27 [14.8%]; P=.002). In contrast, for those who died during a period of sleep, the 11- to 20-year-olds had a higher yield (9/25 [36.0%]) than the 1- to 10-year-olds (1/24 [4.2%]; P=.01).

CONCLUSION

Cardiac channel molecular autopsy should be considered in the evaluation of autopsy-negative SUD. Several interesting genotype-phenotype observations may provide insight into the expected yields of postmortem genetic testing for SUD and assist in selecting cases with the greatest potential for mutation discovery and directing genetic testing efforts.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Cardiovascular Disorders (DHGE) > Clinic of Cardiology
UniBE Contributor:	Medeiros Domingo, Argelia
Subjects:	600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
ISSN:	0025-6196
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Argelia Medeiros Domingo
Date Deposited:	06 Jun 2014 11:31
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:28
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.02.017
PubMed ID:	22677073
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/42267