Molecular autopsy: Twenty years of post-mortem diagnosis in sudden cardiac death

In the forensic medicine field, molecular autopsy is the post-mortem genetic analysis performed to attempt to unravel the cause of decease in cases remaining unexplained after a comprehensive forensic autopsy. This negative autopsy, classified as negative or non-conclusive, usually occurs in young p...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Martínez-Barrios, Estefanía, Grassi, Simone, Brion, Maria, Toro, Rocío, Cesar, Sergi, Cruzalegui, José, Coll Vidal, Mònica, Alcalde Masegu, Mireia, Brugada, Ramon, Greco, Andrea, Ortega-Sánchez, María Luisa, Barberia Marcalain, Eneko, Oliva, Antonio, Sarquella Brugada, Geòrgia, Campuzano Larrea, Oscar
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10256/24049
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10256/24049
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Mort sobtada
Sudden death
Mort -- Causes
Death -- Causes
Descripción
Sumario:In the forensic medicine field, molecular autopsy is the post-mortem genetic analysis performed to attempt to unravel the cause of decease in cases remaining unexplained after a comprehensive forensic autopsy. This negative autopsy, classified as negative or non-conclusive, usually occurs in young population. In these cases, in which the cause of death is unascertained after a thorough autopsy, an underlying inherited arrhythmogenic syndrome is the main suspected cause of death. Next-generation sequencing allows a rapid and cost-effectives genetic analysis, identifying a rare variant classified as potentially pathogenic in up to 25% of sudden death cases in young population. The first symptom of an inherited arrhythmogenic disease may be a malignant arrhythmia, and even sudden death. Early identification of a pathogenic genetic alteration associated with an inherited arrhythmogenic syndrome may help to adopt preventive personalized measures to reduce risk of malignant arrhythmias and sudden death in the victim's relatives, at risk despite being asymptomatic. The current main challenge is a proper genetic interpretation of variants identified and useful clinical translation. The implications of this personalized translational medicine are multifaceted, requiring the dedication of a specialized team, including forensic scientists, pathologists, cardiologists, pediatric cardiologists, and geneticists