Molecular investigation of sudden death]

Juvenile sudden death and sudden infant death syndrome exert a deep social impact, due to the young age of the victims and the unexpected occurrence of death. Recently, genetically determined ion channel diseases have been demonstrated to account for many forms of juvenile sudden death sine materia and also for some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (Brugada syndrome, long QT and short QT syndromes and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia). Moreover, a not negligible amount of juvenile sudden deaths are due to myocarditis as a consequence of cardiotropic viruses. Thus, it is now becoming mandatory to apply molecular pathology techniques also to the post mortem study of sudden death. In general, a long interval between death and post mortem exam and inadequate tissue sampling and preservation may increase the poor results of molecular investigation. The aim of this review was to provide evidence of the need to develop a molecular pathology investigation protocol to be used at post mortem.