Citation

de Bruin KH, de Keijzer JC, Rutgers RA, Das C. Ned. Tijdschr. Geneeskd. 2007; 151(5): 305-309.

Vernacular Title

Onverklaard overlijden bij minderjarigen in de regio Amsterdam-Zaandam,

Affiliation

GGD Amsterdam, afd. Forensische Geneeskunde, Postbus 2200, 1000 CE Amsterdam.

Comment In:

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2007;151(5):284-6.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Erven Bohn)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17326475

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine how often deceased minors are examined by a forensic physician and the rate of unexplained deaths, and to estimate how often further investigation into the cause of death (the so-called NODO procedure) would be initiated. DESIGN: Descriptive, retrospective study. METHOD: Statistics Netherlands (CBS) provided the number of deceased minors and the manner as well as cause of death for the Amsterdam-Zaandam region in the period 1990-2004. Data regarding residence, age, year of death, manner of death and cause of death were collected for all post-mortem examinations performed on minors during the same period using the registration system of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Amsterdam Municipal Health Services. RESULTS: A total of 2134 minors living in the Amsterdam-Zaandam region died in the period 1990-2004, according to the CBS. In this 15-year period the CBS registered 140 deaths (7%) that remained unexplained after post-mortem examination: 91 were registered as natural deaths due to unknown or unclear causes and 49 were registered as sudden infant death syndrome. In 306 cases (14%) the post-mortem examination was performed by municipal forensic physicians. Of these cases, 61 (20%) remained unexplained after post-mortem examination. In the remaining cases, post-mortem examination was performed by the treating physician. CONCLUSION: The estimated annual number of cases that will be referred for the NODO procedure in the Amsterdam-Zaandam region is at least 10: 4 based on unexplained deaths after examination by a municipal forensic physician and 6 based on natural deaths with no known cause of death according to the treating physician. Nationwide, at least 125 of the expected 1800 childhood deaths will be referred annually.

Language: nl