Reference Ranges for Organ Weights of Infants at Autopsy: Results of >1,000 Consecutive Cases from a Single Centre

Overview

Journal BMC Clin Pathol

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2014 May 14

PMID 24822034

Citations 9

Authors

Jeremy W Pryce

Andrew R Bamber

Michael T Ashworth

Liina Kiho

Marian Malone

Neil J Sebire

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

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.

Citing Articles

Qu D, Preuss V, Hagemeier L, Radomsky L, Beushausen K, Keil J Pediatr Res. 2023; 95(4):949-958.

PMID: 37679518 PMC: 10920197. DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02809-6.

Chang H, Kim S, Wu D, Shah K, Shah D AAPS J. 2021; 23(3):50.

PMID: 33791883 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-021-00581-1.

Intermittent Bolus Feeding Enhances Organ Growth More Than Continuous Feeding in a Neonatal Piglet Model.

El-Kadi S, Boutry-Regard C, Suryawan A, Nguyen H, Kimball S, Fiorotto M Curr Dev Nutr. 2020; 4(12):nzaa170.

PMID: 33381676 PMC: 7751947. DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzaa170.

Postmortem diagnosis of PPA2-associated sudden cardiac death from dried blood spot in a neonate presenting with vocal cord paralysis.

Sanford E, Jones M, Brigger M, Hammer M, Giudugli L, Kingsmore S Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2020; 6(5).

PMID: 33028643 PMC: 7552926. DOI: 10.1101/mcs.a005611.

Fetal autopsy parameters standards: biometry, organ weights, and long bone lengths.

Bartosch C, Vilar I, Rodrigues M, Costa L, Botelho N, Brandao O Virchows Arch. 2019; 475(4):499-511.

PMID: 31420733 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-019-02639-0.

References

Silverwood R, Cole T . Statistical methods for constructing gestational age-related reference intervals and centile charts for fetal size. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2007; 29(1):6-13. DOI: 10.1002/uog.3911. View

Coppoletta J, WOLBACH S . Body Length and Organ Weights of Infants and Children: A Study of the Body Length and Normal Weights of the More Important Vital Organs of the Body between Birth and Twelve Years of Age. Am J Pathol. 2009; 9(1):55-70. PMC: 2062747. View

Cole T . The LMS method for constructing normalized growth standards. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1990; 44(1):45-60. View

Kelmanson I . Evidence for retarded kidney growth in sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatr Nephrol. 1996; 10(6):683-6. DOI: 10.1007/s004670050188. View

Kelmanson I . Retarded heart growth in the victims of sudden infant death: possible implications for lethal mechanisms. Eur J Pediatr. 1996; 155(6):440-4. DOI: 10.1007/BF01955178. View

Weber M, Ashworth M, Risdon R, Malone M, Burch M, Sebire N . Clinicopathological features of paediatric deaths due to myocarditis: an autopsy series. Arch Dis Child. 2008; 93(7):594-8. DOI: 10.1136/adc.2007.128686. View

Flegal K, Cole T . Construction of LMS parameters for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2000 growth charts. Natl Health Stat Report. 2014; (63):1-3. View

Fracasso T, Vennemann M, Pfeiffer H, Bajanowski T . Organ weights in cases of sudden infant death syndrome: a German study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2009; 30(3):231-4. DOI: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e318187e0f2. View

Roberts S, Pryce J, Weber M, Malone M, Ashworth M, Sebire N . Clinicopathological features of fatal cardiomyopathy in childhood: an autopsy series. J Paediatr Child Health. 2012; 48(8):675-80. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2012.02450.x. View

10.

Phillips J, Billson V, Forbes A . Autopsy standards for fetal lengths and organ weights of an Australian perinatal population. Pathology. 2009; 41(6):515-26. DOI: 10.1080/00313020903041093. View

11.

Freeman J, Cole T, Chinn S, Jones P, White E, Preece M . Cross sectional stature and weight reference curves for the UK, 1990. Arch Dis Child. 1995; 73(1):17-24. PMC: 1511167. DOI: 10.1136/adc.73.1.17. View

12.

SCHULZ D, GIORDANO D, SCHULZ D . Weights of organs of fetuses and infants. Arch Pathol. 1962; 74:244-50. View

13.

Thompson W, Cohle S . Fifteen-year retrospective study of infant organ weights and revision of standard weight tables. J Forensic Sci. 2004; 49(3):575-85. View

14.

De Paepe M, Friedman R, Gundogan F, Pinar H . Postmortem lung weight/body weight standards for term and preterm infants. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2005; 40(5):445-8. DOI: 10.1002/ppul.20218. View