Vasoocclusion by sickled RBCs in 5 autopsy cases of sudden death

Mortality in sickle cell disease is high at young age group. So it is necessary to find out the cause of death in young patients with sickle cell disease. We are presenting 5 cases of sudden death in young adults with undiagnosed sickle cell disease. The provocative factors for those terminal events were vasoocclusive crisis. In our patients crisis was secondary to fever (infection), conductive arrhythmia, cardiovascular collapse, post partum shock and hemorrhage. On microscopic examination of viscera, not a single patient showed signs of chronic organ damage, sequestration crisis or acute chest syndrome, which are the common causes of death in sickle cell disease.