SUDEP Deaths
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation into Toxicological Findings in Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Epilepsy
IRAS ID
221312
Contact name
Hilary Hamnett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Glasgow
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is where an otherwise healthy person with epilepsy dies unexpectedly and there is no cause found at autopsy. It is the leading cause of death in people with chronic uncontrolled epilepsy. The evidence suggests that the cause of death in most cases is related to epileptic convulsions. There are a number of additional known risk factors, including: excess alcohol use, young age, seizure type, severe or poorly controlled epilepsy, and antiepileptic drugs (poor compliance, multiple prescriptions, changes in dose, etc.)
However, there is little information in the literature regarding the use of illicit drugs and SUDEP. In any sudden death, including possible SUDEP cases, where a cause of death is not established at post-mortem examination, toxicological analysis for alcohol and drugs should be undertaken and the case circumstances reviewed.
The purpose of the research is to review post-mortem cases designated as SUDEP received into the department of Forensic Medicine and Science at the University of Glasgow from April 2007 to December 2016.
This study will investigate the toxicological findings in these cases, including the use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS).
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0055
Date of REC Opinion
17 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion