FORENSIC MEDICAL ANALYSIS OF SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH OF CHILDREN IN UKRAINE

Introduction. Sudden infant mortality between the ages of 1 and 18 from cardiovascular pathology is an important problem that requires comprehensive study due to its unexpectedness and the influence of congenital factors that lead to it. Aim. To analysis of forensic medical data on the dynamics of deaths from cardiovascular diseases, as the equivalent of sudden unexplained death in childhood, to reduce its level by implementing early detection of potentially dangerous factors. Materials and methods. Annual reports of the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of Ukraine, which included data on the causes of death of children aged 1 to 18 from cardiovascular diseases. Statistical analysis methods were used, including the calculation of percentages and confidence intervals, using open source software. Results. The analysis showed that for the period 2016–2022, the average number of deaths from cardiovascular disease was 11.17 ± 1.94 at the age of 1-6 years, 7.11 ± 0.66 at the age of 7-11 years, and 35.67 ± 5.54 at the age of 12-18 years, which demonstrates an excess of indicators at the age of 1-6 years over the age group of 7-11 years and their significant increase at the age of 12-18 years. When distributed by gender (male/female), boys predominated in all age groups, in particular, in the age group 1-6 years 6.67 ± 1.12 / 4.5 ± 1.0, at the age of 7-11 years 4.83 ± 0.24 / 2.33 ± 0.68 and at the age of 12-18 years 22.67 ± 3.3 / 13.0 ± 2.68, respectively. This is consistent with the conscious trends, which indicate peaks in mortality from sudden unexplained mortality in childhood at the age of 1-4 years and after 10 years. In Ukraine, no clear increase or decrease is recorded for the period under study, in contrast to global trends, which record annual growth in indicators. Conclusions. The age-specific rates of sudden cardiac death in children in Ukraine, which may be equivalent to sudden unexplained death in childhood, are identical to global rates, demonstrating a prevalence of 1-6 years of age over 7-11 years of age and a sharp increase after 12 years of age. The gender distribution demonstrates a statistically significant prevalence of boys dying from cardiac death in all age groups. In Ukraine, a trend of increasing deaths of both sexes in the 12-18 age group and its decrease among boys aged 1-6 years and among girls under 1 year of age can be observed. The identified trends require timely detection and prevention of sudden cardiac death after the age of one year, in particular, through preventive work with parents on proper sleep, especially in cases where the family has already had cases of unexplained child death.