Sudden Death associated with Thyrotoxicosis: Report of Three Autopsy Cases.

Kim, Ju Yeon; Kim, Min Jung; Park, Sohyung; Ha, Hongil

doi:2013.37.3.167

Korean J Leg Med > Volume 37(3); 2013 > Article

Case Report

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2013;37(3):167-170.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2013.37.3.167 Published online August 31, 2013.

Sudden Death associated with Thyrotoxicosis: Report of Three Autopsy Cases.

Ju Yeon Kim, Min Jung Kim, Sohyung Park, Hongil Ha

¹Department of Pathology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
²Division of Forensic Medicine, National Forensic Service, Seoul, Korea.
³Division of Forensic Medicine, Eastern District Office, National Forensic Service, Wonju-si, Gangwon, Korea.
⁴Division of Forensic Medicine, Southern District Office, National Forensic Service, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam, Korea. sanchee@korea.kr

Abstract

Thyrotoxicosis (thyroid crisis) is a known cause of sudden death; however, only a few cases of death resulting from thyrotoxicosis have been reported. Histopathologic examination and postmortem thyroid function tests may be helpful in postmortem diagnosis, but their usefulness seems to be limited. We report three autopsy cases associated with thyrotoxicosis.

Key Words: Thyrotoxicosis, Sudden death, Thyroid crisis, Autopsy