To review post-mortem findings among deaths presenting as sudden and/or unexpected deaths in two centers in the UK during a 16-year period in order to identify those related to cardiovascular conditions. The post-mortem databases of two tertiary referral institutions were searched, and all reports were reviewed. Histological features and results of ancillary investigations were noted. All cases of sudden and/or unexpected cardiac deaths (SCD) between 2003 and 2018 were identified. The study was PRISMA compliant and approved by clinical governance. 68/1129 cases of SCD (6.0%) were identified in one center and 83/753 cases (11%) in the other. These 151 cases constituted the study cohort. The mean annual incidence of SCD was 0.3 per 100,000 persons/annum. The three most prevalent groups of cardiac pathology were cardiac malformations (51/151; 33.8%), cardiomyopathies (32/151; 21.2%), and myocarditis (31/151; 20.5%). Mean age at death was 3.4 years. Prematurity was predominantly associated with deaths related to cardiac malformations (p < 0.001). Symptoms had been present for a mean of 3.8, 3.0, and 3.5 days before death for myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac malformations/complications post-surgery. This retrospective comparative study represents the largest autopsy series of SCD in infants and children in the UK. Some entities are very infrequent. Several diseases could have been identified earlier in life allowing for the possibility of intervention. Limitation includes the retrospective nature of the study and that, as arrhythmogenic gene mutations are not yet routinely performed in unexplained deaths, the incidence of SCD in infants and children is most likely underestimated.

回顾 16 年间英国两个中心发生的突然和/或意外死亡的尸检结果，以确定与心血管疾病相关的死亡。检索了两家三级转诊机构的尸检数据库，并对所有报告进行了审查。记录组织学特征和辅助研究的结果。确定了 2003 年至 2018 年间所有突发和/或意外心源性死亡 (SCD) 病例。该研究符合 PRISMA 标准并得到临床管理部门的批准。一个中心发现了 68/1129 例 SCD 病例 (6.0%)，另一中心发现了 83/753 例 (11%)。这 151 例病例构成了研究队列。 SCD 的平均年发病率为每 100,000 人 0.3 例/年。最常见的三类心脏病是心脏畸形（51/151；33.8%）、心肌病（32/151；21.2%）和心肌炎（31/151；20.5%）。平均死亡年龄为 3.4 岁。早产主要与心脏畸形相关的死亡相关（ p < 0.001）。死亡前平均出现心肌炎、心肌病和心脏畸形/术后并发症症状 3.8、3.0 和 3.5 天。这项回顾性比较研究代表了英国最大的婴儿和儿童 SCD 尸检系列。有些实体非常罕见。一些疾病本可以在生命早期就被发现，从而有可能进行干预。局限性包括该研究的回顾性，并且由于致心律失常基因突变尚未在不明原因死亡中常规进行，因此婴儿和儿童中 SCD 的发病率很可能被低估。