National Association of Medical Examiners position paper: Recommendations for the investigation and certification of deaths in people with epilepsy

Epilepsia
Owen MiddletonOrrin Devinsky

Abstract

Sudden unexpected death of an individual with epilepsy can pose a challenge to death investigators, as most deaths are unwitnessed, and the individual is commonly found dead in bed. Anatomic findings (eg, tongue/lip bite) are commonly absent and of varying specificity, thereby limiting the evidence to implicate epilepsy as a cause of or contributor to death. Thus it is likely that death certificates significantly underrepresent the true number of deaths in which epilepsy was a factor. To address this, members of the National Association of Medical Examiners, North American SUDEP Registry, Epilepsy Foundation SUDEP Institute, American Epilepsy Society, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention constituted an expert panel to generate evidence-based recommendations for the practice of death investigation and autopsy, toxicological analysis, interpretation of autopsy and toxicology findings, and death certification to improve the precision of death certificate data available for public health surveillance of epilepsy-related deaths. The recommendations provided in this paper are intended to assist medical examiners, coroners, and death investigators when a sudden unexpected death in a person with epilepsy is encountered.

References

Aug 1, 1989·Annals of Neurology·J E LeestmaS S Teas
Sep 15, 1988·The New England Journal of Medicine·S K NgM Susser
Dec 1, 1986·The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology·L A Schwender, J C Troncoso
Sep 1, 1985·The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology·J E LeestmaM B Kalelkar
May 1, 1981·Annals of Neurology·C F TerrenceJ A Perper
Dec 1, 1994·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·H P CoyleS W Brown
Sep 1, 1996·Epilepsia·B S KoppelM Daras
Jun 17, 1998·Archives of Neurology·B H NatelsonR Turizo
Sep 16, 1999·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·R Kloster, T Engelskjøn
May 16, 2000·Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology·R VirmaniS M Schwartz
Jul 8, 2000·Epilepsia·D M Ficker
Jul 18, 2000·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·A ZaidiA P Fitzpatrick
Feb 5, 2002·Journal of Clinical Pathology·M Black, D I Graham
Dec 5, 2002·The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology·Lisa B E ShieldsJoseph C Parker
Mar 20, 2004·Epilepsia·Maromi NeiMichael R Sperling
Apr 13, 2004·The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology·Gregory G Davis, Gerald McGwin
Oct 8, 2004·Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health·J R SkinnerM Hegde
Nov 18, 2004·Heart·F D KolodgieH K Gold
Nov 25, 2004·Epilepsy Currents·Orrin Devinsky
Dec 28, 2006·Neurology·John C M Brust
Jan 24, 2007·Critical Care Clinics·Alexander Kopelnik, Jonathan G Zaroff
May 26, 2009·The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology·Paul L SchraederElson L So
Nov 11, 2009·The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology·Peter Lin, James R Gill
Jun 16, 2011·Epilepsia·Dale C HesdorfferUNKNOWN ILAE Commission on Epidemiology; Subcommission on Mortality
Oct 25, 2011·Journal of Clinical Pathology·Mickhaiel BarrowElizabeth J Soilleux
Nov 18, 2011·Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B·C M LathersP L Schraeder
Jul 25, 2012·Journal of Addiction Medicine·Babak Tofighi, Joshua D Lee
Sep 25, 2012·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Luo ZhuoLing Li
Dec 12, 2012·Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B·Ashley E Feldman, Barry E Gidal
Jul 31, 2013·Epilepsia·Anders Gaarsdal HolstJacob Tfelt-Hansen
Aug 24, 2013·Circulation. Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology·Eric C SteckerSumeet S Chugh
Apr 16, 2014·Epilepsia·Robert S FisherSamuel Wiebe
Jun 21, 2014·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·R J LambertsR D Thijs
Aug 15, 2014·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Sara PartemiRamon Brugada
Sep 23, 2014·Epilepsia·Kitti KaiboriboonSiran M Koroukian

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 14, 2019·Current Treatment Options in Neurology·Robyn Whitney, Elizabeth J Donner
Feb 19, 2019·Acta Neurologica Scandinavica·Michael O KinneyRohit Shankar
Apr 10, 2020·Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics·Max Christian PenselRainer Surges
Jun 27, 2018·Der Internist·B StallmeyerE Schulze-Bahr
Dec 24, 2019·Experimental Neurology·Alexandra N PetrucciGordon F Buchanan
Nov 13, 2020·Frontiers in Neurology·Declan McGuoneOrrin Devinsky
Mar 25, 2021·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·Guilherme L FialhoKatia Lin
Aug 20, 2021·Autonomic Neuroscience : Basic & Clinical·Smriti PatodiaMaria Thom

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Journal of Medical Toxicology : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology
Gregory G Davis, National Association of Medical Examiners and American College of Medical Toxicology Expert Panel on Evaluating and Reportin
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
James L Luke
Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie
R Surges, C E Elger
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved