Causes of Death in CdLS

Causes of Death in CdLS

The most common causes of death in infants with CdLS are congenital diaphragmatic hernia (hole in the diaphragm) and respiratory (breathing) problems. In children with CdLS, the most common causes of death are heart defects and respiratory and gastrointestinal (stomach/intestines) problems (⁷³).

Causes of death in adults with CdLS relate to gastrointestinal, pulmonary (lung) and cardiac (heart) systems, as well as infections or anaesthesia (medically induced loss of sensation) (²,⁶⁷,⁷³,⁷⁹).

Several countries use emergency medical cards which report the main clinical data of the patient. The use of these emergency cards should be considered for every person with CdLS (R27). Emergency cards can report the most frequent and potentially life-threatening medical complications of CdLS.