JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
Volume 250, Issue 21, 1983, Pages 2947-2951

Sudden Death Among Southeast Asian Refugees: An Unexplained Nocturnal Phenomenon (Article)

Baron R.C.* , Thacker S.B. , Gorelkin L. , Vernon A.A. , Taylor W.R. , Choi K.
  • a Division of Surveillance and Epidemiologic Studies, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, United States
  • b Division of Surveillance and Epidemiologic Studies, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, United States
  • c Host Factors Division, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, United States
  • d Division of Surveillance and Epidemiologic Studies, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, United States
  • e Division of Surveillance and Epidemiologic Studies, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, United States
  • f Division of Surveillance and Epidemiologic Studies, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, United States

Abstract

In the period July 15, 1977, through March 30, 1982, there were at least 51 sudden, unexplained deaths in the United States among refugees from Southeast Asia. These deaths involved relatively young (median age, 33 years), previously healthy persons. All except one were male, and all died at night. Available data from studies among young adults in this country suggest that this specific phenomenon has an unusually high incidence among Laotian and Kampuchean refugees and, furthermore, has not previously been observed in the United States. Interviews with families of the decedents and a case-control study have failed to establish causal factors, but emotional stress cannot be ruled out as a contributing element. While reviews of the forensic investigations have confirmed the absence of important common pathological or toxicological findings, preliminary findings of special postmortem cardiac studies, now in progress, suggest that at least some of these deaths may be associated with developmentally abnormal conduction system pathways. Further studies are required to confirm this association, to define the apparently sleep-induced mechanism that triggers these deaths, and to explain the male preponderance in this disorder. © 1983, American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

sleep heart psychological aspect human sex difference Refugees sudden death Stress, Psychological United States autopsy Humans male female congenital malformation clinical article Death, Sudden Incidence emotional stress Heart Conduction System fatality adult heart muscle conduction system Sex Factors Age Factors Circadian Rhythm cause of death congenital disorder Asia, Southeastern etiology
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84944282688&doi=10.1001%2fjama.1983.03340210045023&partnerID=40&md5=b906372cea20b81f15d9282c7cc5ce66
DOI: 10.1001/jama.1983.03340210045023
ISSN: 00987484
Cited by: 104
Original Language: English