Evaluation of the presence and distribution of leptomeningeal inflammation in SIDS/SUDI cases and comparison with a hospital-based cohort.

Introduction: Prior research demonstrates that leptomeninges of infants and late-term fetuses derived from a non-traumatic, hospital-based cohort contain a surprisingly large number of inflammatory cells and stainable iron. These were present irrespective of the findings from the general autopsy, the neuropathologic examination, and the mode of delivery.

Materials And Methods: We applied a similar methodology to a sudden infant death syndrome/sudden unexpected death in infancy (SIDS/SUDI) cohort.

The inflammatory cellular constituents of foetal and infant leptomeninges: a survey of hospital-based autopsies without trauma.

Objectives: Notwithstanding the lack of definitive evidence from studies conducted to date, inflammatory infiltrates and iron deposition in the leptomeninges are routinely used as forensic markers of traumatic brain injury. We investigated the presence of these forensic markers of trauma in neonates and infants, with the objective of determining their suitability for use in forensic cases.

Methods: Leptomeninges derived from non-traumatic deaths were studied.