Sudden unexplained death during sleep occurred commonly in the general population in the Philippines: a sub study of the National Nutrition and Health Survey

OBJECTIVE: Sudden unexplained death during sleep (SUDS) is found frequently among Asians. The nationwide incidence of SUDS in the Philippines was measured using a questionnaire, validated in a previous study versus autopsy. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The questionnaire was administered as part of the 2003 National Nutrition and Health Survey. A total of 4,747 households were sampled in a stratified randomized manner. Household members were interviewed regarding the occurrence of presumptive SUDS within the last 5 years. Presumptive SUDS was death in a young (<40 years) healthy individual with no reasonable alternative explanation for death. RESULTS: After adjustment for age and sampling weight, the 5-year incidence of sudden death during sleep was 380 (95% CI 210-640) per 100,000, whereas that of SUDS was 110 (95% CI 29-540) per 100,000 in the 20-39 year age group. The computed annualized incidence of sudden death during sleep in the 20-39 year age group was 76 per 100,000, that of SUDS 22 was per 100,000. Computed annualized incidence of SUDS based on the questionnaire accuracy was 43 per 100,000. CONCLUSION: SUDS occurs commonly among young Filipinos affecting 43 per 100,000 per year of which most are young males.