An Autopsy Study of the Trends in Childhood Deaths in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Autopsy has long been considered the gold standard for determining the cause of death, assisting in medical education, and evaluating the quality of medical care. A significant decline in the autopsy rate has been observed globally over the decades. A literature search revealed numerous studies in Nigeria and across Africa; unfortunately, these relied on verbal autopsies.  

Objectives: To examine the pattern of causes of death in childhood using autopsy findings.

Methods: This was a 21-year retrospective autopsy study of paediatric deaths in a Nigerian teaching hospital. The standard autopsy dissection was done, and autopsy reports were retrieved from the archive. The cut-off age was 18 years, while decomposed bodies were excluded.

Results: Five hundred and twenty-one autopsies represented a rate of 3.2% and a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. The adolescent age was the most common. RTAs were the most common cause of childhood death (29.2%), infection was next (18%), while asphyxia deaths (12.1%) and burn injuries (10.6%) closely followed.

Conclusion: The predominance of males corroborates the previous knowledge on this research theme. The early adolescent age was the most common age group encountered, while road traffic accident was the leading cause of death.