Key result
Young SCD victims with CHD show diverse anatomical defects and increased healthcare contacts before death.
Why the study?
Sudden cardiac death is a leading cause of mortality in individuals with congenital heart disease, but risk stratification remains challenging.
What are the underlying structural cardiac abnormalities, socioeconomic factors, and healthcare interactions associated with sudden cardiac death in young individuals with congenital heart disease compared to controls?
Case-Control (n=234)
Yes
What are the underlying structural cardiac abnormalities, socioeconomic factors, and healthcare interactions associated with sudden cardiac death in young individuals with congenital heart disease compared to controls?
p-value: p=< 0.001
Young sudden cardiac death victims with congenital heart disease frequently have moderate to severe ventricular structural abnormalities and exhibit an increased frequency of healthcare contacts prior to death.
May signal missed prevention opportunities in young CHD patients; hypothesis-generating for targeted surveillance trials.
OBJECTIVES: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of mortality among individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD), and risk stratification remains challenging. This study aimed to describe the underlying structural cardiac abnormalities in a national cohort of SCD victims with CHD, their socioeconomic status, and interactions with the healthcare system before death. METHODS: The Swedish study of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young, 2000-2010, included SCD victims under 36 years, along with population-based controls and their parents. Of 903 SCD victims, 39 with autopsy-defined CHD were included in this study, together with 195 controls. Information on socioeconomic variables and healthcare contacts was gathered from Swedish national registers. RESULTS: < 0.001. No socioeconomic differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a broad spectrum of underlying anatomical defects, with ventricular structural abnormalities being a common autopsy finding. The majority of cases had moderate to severe lesions. An increased frequency of healthcare contacts prior to death was noted, which may be a variable needing more attention as a predictor for a higher risk of SCD.
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Galos et al. (2025) conducted a case-control in Sudden cardiac death in congenital heart disease (n=234). Congenital heart disease (SCD victims) vs. Population-based controls was evaluated on Structural cardiac abnormalities, socioeconomic status, and healthcare contacts before death (p=< 0.001). Young sudden cardiac death victims with congenital heart disease exhibited a broad spectrum of anatomical defects and an increased frequency of healthcare contacts prior to death (P<0.001).
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