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Background <p>Organ weight assessment is a&#xa0;critical part of every autopsy because abnormal organ weights can serve as an indicator of underlying diseases or pathological processes. In children it is common practice to compare body and organ measurements with existing reference data. Unfortunately, many studies are outdated, partially decades old.</p> Aims <p>The present study was designed to determine current organ weights in children and thus demonstrate the need for updated referential weights.</p> Methods <p>A&#xa0;total of 227 natural and unnatural deaths of children aged 0–14&#xa0;years, examined between 2009 and 2023 at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the Hannover Medical School, Oldenburg site, were reviewed. Based on the autopsy reports, an anonymized retrospective analysis was conducted. The mean body measurements and organ weights were calculated by age group and compared with the values reported in the literature.</p> Results <p>Organ weights increased with age as in previous studies but in our study the children were generally larger in height and the organ weights tended to be higher than in previous (older) studies.</p> Discussion <p>The data point to a&#xa0;long-term change (“secular trend”). To avoid drawing incorrect conclusions from supposedly increased organ weights, the outdated literature should no longer be used and new reference values are necessary.</p>

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Update pädiatrischer Organgewichte: Pathologie oder Evolution?

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

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  • Vanessa Preuss,
  • Xiaofei Liu,
  • Michael Klintschar

摘要

Background

Organ weight assessment is a critical part of every autopsy because abnormal organ weights can serve as an indicator of underlying diseases or pathological processes. In children it is common practice to compare body and organ measurements with existing reference data. Unfortunately, many studies are outdated, partially decades old.

Aims

The present study was designed to determine current organ weights in children and thus demonstrate the need for updated referential weights.

Methods

A total of 227 natural and unnatural deaths of children aged 0–14 years, examined between 2009 and 2023 at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the Hannover Medical School, Oldenburg site, were reviewed. Based on the autopsy reports, an anonymized retrospective analysis was conducted. The mean body measurements and organ weights were calculated by age group and compared with the values reported in the literature.

Results

Organ weights increased with age as in previous studies but in our study the children were generally larger in height and the organ weights tended to be higher than in previous (older) studies.

Discussion

The data point to a long-term change (“secular trend”). To avoid drawing incorrect conclusions from supposedly increased organ weights, the outdated literature should no longer be used and new reference values are necessary.