Genetic Testing in Sudden Unexpected Natural Death in the Young: New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner's Experience and Perspective

• NCJ Number: 254065
• Journal: Forensic Science Medicine and Pathology Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: 2019 Pages: 481-484
• Author(s): Yingying Y. Tang; Nori Williams; Barbara A. Sampson
• Date Published: 2019
• Length: 4 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2015-DN-BX-K017; 2014-DN-BX-K001
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Program/Project Description
• Award: Advancing Molecular Diagnostics in Sudden Unexplained Deaths; Enhancing Molecular Autopsies through High Throughout Function Assays and Family Studies of Cardiac Arrhythmogenic Variants in Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths

Annotation

This study examined the benefits and limitations of genetic testing in cases of sudden, unexpected death in the young (less than or equal to 40 years old) from the perspective of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York, whose Molecular Genetics Laboratory, accredited by College of American Pathologists, has had 15 years of postmortem testing experience.

Abstract

Postmortem genetic testing is a diagnostic tool that is becoming increasingly utilized. The current article highlights challenges to the interpretation and communication of testing results, and it discusses opportunities for improving testing yield for age groups across the lifespan, from infancy to adulthood. 21 references (publisher abstract modified)