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Perioperative morbidity and mortality in the first year of life: a systematic review (1997-2012). BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although many recognize that the first year of life and specifically the neonatal period are associated with increased risk of anesthetic morbidity and mortality, there are no studies directed to these pediatric subpopulations. This systematic review of the scientific literature including the last 15 years aimed to analyze the epidemiology of morbidity and mortality associated with general anesthesia and surgery in the first year of life and particularly in the neonatal (first month) period. CONTENT: The review was conducted by searching publications in Medline/PubMed databases, and the following outcomes were evaluated: early mortality in the first year of life (<1 year) and in subgroups of different vulnerability in this age group (0-30 days and 1-12 months) and the prevalence of cardiac arrest and perioperative critical/adverse events of various types in the same subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The current literature indicates great variability in mortality and morbidity in the age group under consideration and in its subgroups. However, despite the obvious methodological heterogeneity and absence of specific studies, epidemiological profiles of morbidity and mortality related to anesthesia in children in the first year of life show higher frequency of morbidity and mortality in this age group, with the highest peaks of incidence in the neonates' anesthesia.