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Reference ranges for organ weights of infants at autopsy: results of >1,000 consecutive cases from a single centre
Jeremy W Pryce1, Andrew R Bamber2, Michael T Ashworth3
1Department of Histopathology, Camelia Botnar Laboratories, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK ; Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK.
Insights
This study provides updated reference ranges for infant organ weights using data from over 1,000 autopsies. These findings are crucial for understanding infant health and mortality, aiding in forensic and clinical evaluations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pathology
- Forensic Medicine
- Infant Health
Background:
- Infancy is a critical period for childhood mortality, encompassing neonatal deaths and sudden unexpected infant deaths.
- Organ weight assessment during autopsy is a standard procedure, yet contemporary reference data for infants is scarce.
- Establishing accurate organ weight ranges is vital for interpreting autopsy findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish up-to-date reference ranges for infant organ weights.
- To provide contemporary data for major organ weights across the infant age spectrum.
- To support accurate interpretation of autopsy findings in pediatric cases.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of organ weight data from 1,525 consecutive infant autopsies over 14 years.
- Utilized linear regression modeling and the Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) method for data analysis.
- Data derived from a single tertiary care center.
Main Results:
- Developed reference charts for the 5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th centiles for key organs.
- Included weights for the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, thymus, and adrenal glands.
- The study analyzed 1,190 cases for creating regression models.
Conclusions:
- Presents the largest single-center contemporary dataset for infant autopsy organ weights.
- Provides essential, up-to-date 'normal' ranges for major infant organ weights.
- Aids in forensic and clinical evaluations by offering current reference standards.
Background:
Infancy is the most common period for childhood death, including both neonatal deaths from obstetric or medical complications and sudden unexpected infant deaths. The weighing of organs at autopsy is an established process and is recommended in current protocols. However, minimal contemporary data is available regarding reference ranges for organ weights of infants.
Methods:
Organ weight data for consecutive infant autopsies over a 14 year period performed at a single tertiary centre, including >1,000 cases, were examined in order to provide up to date reference ranges across this age range, using linear regression modelling and the standard LMS method.
Results:
1,525 infant autopsies were analysed, of which 1,190 were subsequently used in the creation of linear regression models prior to performance of the LMS method. Organ weight charts were produced for the 5th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 95th centiles for the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, thymus gland and adrenal glands.
Conclusion:
This study provides the largest single centre contemporary dataset of infant autopsies allowing provision of up-to-date 'normal' ranges for all major organ weights across this age range.
