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PubMed1997

[Sudden infant death].

Sudden infant death [SID] is defined as the "sudden death of an infant under one year of age that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and the review of the clinical history". This definition, given by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the USA. recognized SID as a diagnostic entity, however, SID remains a pathological diagnosis of exclusion. SID-cases are divided into three categories: group 1 in which autopsy does not reveal any cause of death, group 2 in which postmortem findings are not sufficient to be the cause of death; group 3 in which the death is adequately explained, is classified as "non-SID". The purpose of the study was to analyse the situation about SID over a 25-year period, from 1969 through 1993, looking for changes in frequency and developmental trends. The study includes 364 SID-infants which were examined according to a standard method. Histological, microbiological, virological and immunological studies were performed and data of the death scene investigation and of the clinical history were collected, 284 infants who had died due to clinical diseases served as one control group, a second group consisted of 6397 newborns of the city of Zürich. Of the SID-infants, almost every third infant [29%] was grouped in group 1, more than half of the infants [52%] with signs of mild infections in group 2, whereas almost every fifth child [19%] was grouped in group 3. With regard to epidemiological parameters the peak of mortality was found at about three months of age; the percentage of boys and twins, of third and later born infants was higher compared to the general population. SID probands were born twice as often in October as in March. The percentage of mothers of first, second and third born SID-infants at an age younger than 20, 22 and 24 years was higher compared to the general population. All these parameters were also found in group 3. The risk of familial recurrence in group 1 and group 2 was 0.8%. Between 1969 and 1993 the rate of SID deaths dropped from 1.1 to 0.9 per thousand live births, whereas SID as a percentage of postneonatal mortality increased to 34 per cent.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Continuous microbiological and pathological study of 70 sudden and unexpected infant deaths: toxigenic intestinal clostridium botulinum infection in 9 cases of sudden infant death syndrome.

As part of a programme to exclude infection as the cause of death in infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly necropsies were carried out on 70 such infants. In 11 cases (15%), a pathological diagnosis could be made at necropsy; in 9 of these, causative bacteria or viruses were found. The 59 cases in which the cause of death could not be found had histological features characteristic of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Botulinum toxin was found in 9 SIDS cases (15%). 8 of these infants had botulinum toxin and organisms of different types (A, B, C, F, G) in the contents of the ileojejunum or colon. 4 of them also had toxin in the serum. No botulinum toxin or organisms were found in the 11 infants who died of identified causes or 18 other infants who died in hospital of known causes.

Botulinum Toxins↗
PubMed1996

Population-based recurrence risk of sudden infant death syndrome compared with other infant and fetal deaths.

To investigate the recurrence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among siblings, the authors analyzed data for all 352,475 mothers whose first and second single births were reported to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway during 1967-1988. Recurrence of stillbirths from the 16th week of gestation onward and infant deaths other than SIDS were also studied. Relative risk of recurrence for SIDS was 5.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-13.2); for asphyxia- and immaturity-related infant deaths, 12.5 (9.2-17.4); for congenital malformations, 7.2 (4.7-11.0); and for other causes of infant death, 8.0 (2.0-22.1). Deaths due to infections did not recur. Similar categories of infant deaths had higher overall relative risk, 9.1, compared with 1.6 for dissimilar categories. Previous early stillbirth (16-27 weeks) had a high recurrence (relative risk (RR) = 21.8, 95% CI 17.5-26.9), while late stillbirth (> or = 28 weeks) had lower recurrence (RR = 4.6, 95% CI 3.7-5.8). Previous SIDS was associated with an increased risk of all other types of loss. In contrast, previous late stillbirth and previous asphyxia- and immaturity-related infant deaths were associated with a reduced risk of subsequent SIDS (RR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.08-0.84, and RR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.01-1.13, respectively). In conclusion, as with other infant and fetal deaths, SIDS deaths showed strong sibship aggregation consistent with a genetic susceptibility in subsets of SIDS that may interact with environmental factors. The authors also suggest common pregnancy-specific risk factors for late stillbirths, asphyxia- and immaturity-related infant deaths, and SIDS.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1990

[Frequency of causes of death related to sudden infant death syndrome in Denmark during the period 1972-1983].

Differences in the incidence of infant mortality due to sudden infant death syndrome between the regions of the three Institutes of Forensic Medicine in Denmark are known to exist. To investigate whether these could be due to differences in incidence of causes of death such as suffocation and respiratory infections, the rates and types of autopsy were analysed regarding these death causes. The number of deaths due to these causes and the development in the incidence cannot explain the variation of the incidence of SIDS, in the areas observed. For each of the three periods under consideration (1972-1975, 1976-1979, 1980-1983) the variation between institutes in SIDS-rate is relatively larger than the variation in the total rate of deaths due to these three groups of death causes. In the latest period the total rate is 1.93, 1.77 and 1.27 per 1,000 liveborn in Cophenhagen, Odense and Arhus areas, respectively. The study suggests different evaluations of the results of autopsy. A higher incidence of deaths due to congenital heart defects is seen in Arhus, where the lowest incidence of SIDS is observed. A prospective study (1987-1988) of all cases of sudden infant death in Denmark was initiated by the three forensic Institutes with the aim of evaluating possible time and regional incidence variations using identical diagnostic criteria.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1994

[Sudden infant death syndrome--sudden and unexpected pediatric death].

Sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS] is the most common cause of death between the ages of one month and one year, affecting one to three infants of 1000 life births. SIDS is defined as a sudden death of an infant under one year of age, which remains unexplained even after performance of a complete postmortem examination, examination of the death scene and review of the case history. SIDS is unexpected, so parents have not had the opportunity to prepare for the death. Because SIDS remains unexplained, SIDS parents blame themselves for the death. For most families of SIDS victims, the best resource for help and support is a SIDS parent support group. Finally, risk factors and possible preventive measures are discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1994

[Overheating and sudden infant death. Temperature regulation in relation to the prone position, the possible pathogenesis of sudden infant death].

The incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Denmark varied in the period 1982-1991 between 1.5 and 1.9 per 1000 livebirths. In December 1991 recommendations concerning infants' sleeping position were published by The Danish National Board of Health in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. Babies were recommended to be placed in the supine or side position when sleeping. Parents have followed the guidelines. Most Danish infants are now sleeping on their back or in the side position. Simultaneously, the number of SIDS dropped from about 110 to 40 per year. The incidence decreased to 1.2 in 1992 and was further reduced in 1993 to 0.6 per 1000 live births. Referring to our knowledge of the infant's temperature regulation we discuss why the prone position is a risk factor for SIDS. The head is the site of up to 85% of heat loss in an infant in bed. Placed in the prone position, the infant is more likely to suffer a rise in body temperature, especially if this is combined with having a cold, being heavily wrapped and sleeping in a heated room. Preceding sudden death many infants are reported to have suffered from minor viral infections. These might per se increase the body temperature. Parents often wrap infants that have an infection too heavily, which in an infant sleeping in the prone position might increase the body temperature to a higher level than if sleeping supine. The body temperature influences the production of toxins from normal intestinal flora and from pathogenic bacteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Body Temperature Regulation↗
PubMed1989

Heart rate variation in normal infants and victims of the sudden infant death syndrome.

Infants who later succumb to the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) exhibit lower overall heart rate variability during waking than do other infants. This study attempts to determine which type or types of heart rate variation are reduced in SIDS victims. Long-term recordings of heart rate and respiration were obtained from normal infants and infants who later died of SIDS, and heart rate variation in three frequency bands was examined: respiratory sinus arrhythmia (periods 0.9-3.0 s), 'mid-frequency' (periods 4.0-7.5 s) and 'low-frequency' (periods 12-30 s). All three types of heart rate variation were diminished in SIDS victims under 1 month of age during waking and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep compared with controls. Partitioning heart rate effects showed that in waking, and to a lesser extent in REM sleep, the reduction in all types of heart rate variation exceeded that which would have been predicted based on higher heart rates in SIDS victims. No heart rate-independent reduction in any type of heart rate variation was observed in quiet sleep. This state-dependent reduction in three types of heart rate variation could indicate an abnormality of autonomic control mechanisms during waking and REM sleep in infants who later succumb to SIDS.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

Assessment of compliance with home cardiorespiratory monitoring in infants at risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Collaborative Home Infant Monitoring Evaluation (CHIME).

OBJECTIVES: Documented monitoring was used to evaluate prospectively (1) the level of compliance among infants in whom cardiorespiratory monitoring was clinically indicated and (2) factors that might influence compliance: diagnosis, socioeconomic status, maternal age and education, and alarms. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-seven infants (51% female, 49% term) were sequentially enrolled, and monitoring was prescribed for the following indications: siblings of sudden infant death syndrome victims (16%), apnea of prematurity (45%), and apparent life-threatening events or apnea of infancy (39%). Demographic data, alarm and event data, and a summary report of monitor use from the first monitor download were obtained. RESULTS: Maternal age, education, and insurance status did not differ significantly by indication for monitoring. The median number of monitor alarms per 10 hours of use was 0.7 for apnea or bradycardia and 0.6 for loose lead alarms. Monitors were available for use in the home from 2 to 106 days (median, 11 days). Median hours of monitor use per full day in the home was 15.5 hours. Of 67 infants, 58 used the monitor for at least part of every day in the home. The number of hours of monitor use per day did not differ significantly by diagnostic category, chronologic age, alarms, maternal age, education, or insurance type. This study population of infants at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome had excellent compliance; 75% of the infants were monitored more than 10.5 hours per day, and 25% were monitored more than 21 hours per day. CONCLUSIONS: Documented monitoring provides an objective measure of compliance. These data provide a potential goal for level of compliance with home cardiorespiratory monitoring.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1979

In utero opiate dependence and sudden infant death syndrome.

Infants born to smoking, alcoholic, and drug-dependent women appear to suffer increased prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, vascular changes, and hypoxic episodes as a result of decreased oxygen carrying capacity in the blood, depression with overdose, and withdrawal symptoms. The author reviews these associations and suggests further research to clarify their role in the sudden infant death syndrome.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1993

Sudden infant death syndrome: links with infant care practices.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate infant care practices in a small ethnic minority population within Britain that might suggest possible factors contributing to the low incidence of the sudden infant death syndrome in Asian populations. DESIGN: Ethnographic interviewing, a qualitative comparative method drawn from social anthropology. SETTING: Central Cardiff. SUBJECTS: Non-random sample of 60 mothers of Bangladeshi or Welsh ethnic origin and working or middle class occupational status, who had infants under one year old. None of the families interviewed had experienced a sudden infant death. RESULTS: Broad cultural contrasts emerged as a series of themes from the interview data: living patterns, family networks, sleeping patterns, and concepts of time and dependence. CONCLUSION: Bangladeshi infants were cared for in a consistently rich sensory environment; Welsh infants, in contrast, were more likely to experience alternating periods of high and low sensory input. Long periods of lone quiet sleep may be one factor that contributes to a higher rate of sudden deaths in white than in Asian infants.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1998

Increased density of somatostatin binding sites in respiratory nuclei of the brainstem in sudden infant death syndrome.

Sudden infant death syndrome is the primary cause of mortality in children aged one to six months in industrialized countries. Although the etiology of this syndrome is still unknown, subtle abnormalities in the neuronal circuitry involved in the control of respiratory activity are suspected. Since stereotaxic administration of somatostatin in the brainstem of rat and cat produces fatal apnea, we have compared the densities of somatostatin binding sites in the respiratory centers of 11 cases of sudden infant death syndrome and six control infants without neuronal disease. The density of binding sites was measured in 17 structures of the pons and medulla oblongata by means of quantitative in vitro autoradiography using iodinated [Tyr0,D-Trp8]somatostatin-14 as a radioligand. The density of somatostatin binding sites was significantly higher in the medial and lateral parabrachial nuclei in the sudden infant death syndrome group than in the control group. In six other nuclei, the median of the receptor density was higher in the sudden infant death syndrome group than the maximum values measured in the control group. The presence of high concentrations of somatostatin binding sites in several respiratory nuclei of the brainstem in approximately half of the sudden infant death syndrome victims suggests that the decrease in receptor density that normally occurs during ontogeny was delayed in these infants. In particular, the high level of somatostatin binding sites in the medial and lateral parabrachial nuclei of sudden infant death syndrome suggests that the delayed maturation of these receptors may be associated with a deficit of the hyperventilatory response to hypoxia.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Basement-membrane thickening of the vocal cords in sudden infant death syndrome.

Sudden infant death syndrome remains the leading cause of death in infants between the ages of 1 month and 1 year. Diagnosis at autopsy is usually reached by process of elimination, as no obvious cause of death is recognized. The larynges of 23 sudden infant death syndrome victims, as well as 6 infants and 3 fetuses who died of other known causes, were examined in this study. While thickening of the basement membrane of the vocal cords was apparent in all sudden infant death syndrome victims, no such finding was present in the larynges of infants and fetuses dying of other causes. Thus, it is suggested that basement-membrane thickening may serve as a diagnostic tool for identification of sudden infant death syndrome at autopsy.

Basement Membrane↗
PubMed1994

[Smoking and sudden infant death].

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a death where autopsy and other examinations cannot explain the proper cause of death. Epidemiologic studies have recognized some risk factors, namely prone sleeping position, lack of breast feeding, overheating, and maternal smoking. In Denmark, the official recommendation concerning the prone sleeping position was changed in December 1991, and since then the incidence of SIDS has been diminished by approximately 60-70%. A large number of epidemiologic studies find that there is a possible risk for SIDS in connection with maternal smoking. The odds ratio for a pregnant smoker to lose an infant to SIDS is about 2-4. Thirty to forty percent of Danish women smoke during pregnancy, and about half of all children are exposed to passive smoking in their homes. These data show that about 20% of the SIDS cases are due to maternal smoking. Further information and individual advice to pregnant, smoking women and their partners are needed. The authors suggest that this advice should become part of the existing ante-natal care programme.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Sleep state organization in normal infants and victims of the sudden infant death syndrome.

Infants at increased risk of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) show abnormal patterning of sleep-waking states. It was hypothesized that infants who were to die of SIDS would show abnormalities of sleep state distribution prior to their deaths. Twenty-two 12-hour recordings were obtained from infants who subsequently died of SIDS, and sleep state patterns were compared in these records and 66 records of age-matched control infants. Each 1-minute epoch was classified as quiet sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, waking, indeterminate state, or artifact-contaminated. Victims of SIDS showed less waking and more sleep than control infants during the early-morning hours. Victims of SIDS younger than 1 month of age showed significantly more epochs classified as REM sleep across the night and significantly fewer epochs contaminated by artifacts relative to control infants. Further analysis indicated that the increased number of REM epochs resulted from fewer artifact-contaminated epochs, suggesting reduced motility during REM sleep in the SIDS victims compared with the control infants. The finding of decreased waking time during the early morning is of particular importance since most SIDS deaths occur during this portion of the day. The findings of altered sleep patterns in SIDS victims suggest that central neural changes are associated with SIDS risk.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2005

Risk factors associated with sudden unexplained infant death: a prospective study of infant care practices in Kentucky.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of infant care practices in a metropolitan community in the United States with attention to feeding routines and modifiable risk factors associated with sudden unexplained infant death (specifically, prone sleeping position, bed sharing, and maternal smoking). METHODS: We conducted an initial face-to-face meeting followed by a telephone survey of 189 women who gave birth at a level I hospital in Kentucky between October 14 and November 10, 2002, and whose infants were placed in the well-infant nursery. The survey, composed of questions pertaining to infant care practices, was addressed to the women at 1 and 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: A total of 185 (93.9%) women participated in the survey at 1 month, and 147 (75.1%) mothers contributed at 6 months. The racial/ethnic composition of the study was 56.1% white, 30.2% black, and 16.4% biracial, Asian, or Hispanic. More than half of the infants (50.8%) shared the same bed with their mother at 1 month, which dramatically decreased to 17.7% at 6 months. Bed sharing was significantly more common among black families compared with white families at both 1 month (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 5.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.71-13.02) and 6 months (adjusted OR: 5.43; 95% CI: 2.05-14.35). Compared with other races, white parents were more likely to place their infants on their back before sleep at both 1 and 6 months. Black parents were significantly less likely to place their infants on their back at 6 months compared with white parents (adjusted OR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.06-0.33). One infant succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome at 3 months of age, and another infant died suddenly and unexpectedly at 9 months of age. Both were bed sharing specifically with 1 adult in the former and with 2 children in the latter. CONCLUSIONS: Bed sharing and prone placement were more common among black infants. Breastfeeding was infrequent in all races. This prospective study additionally offers a unique perspective into the risk factors associated with sudden infant death syndrome and sudden unexplained infant death associated with bed sharing by examining the survey responses of 2 mothers before the death of their infants combined with a complete postmortem examination, scene analysis, and historical investigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Dynamic analysis of cardiac R-R intervals in normal infants and in infants who subsequently succumbed to the sudden infant death syndrome.

Infants who subsequently succumb to the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have higher heart rates and reduced heart rate variation compared with other infants. We examined dynamic changes in cardiac interbeat intervals to explore these differences in cardiac control. Recordings of electrocardiographic activity and respiratory movement were acquired from 13 SIDS victims before their deaths. Moment-to-moment changes in R-R intervals during quiet sleep, rapid eye movement sleep, and waking were compared with values of 13 matched control infants. For each sleep-waking state, every R-R interval was plotted against the previous interval (Poincaré plots), and each change in interbeat interval was plotted against the previous change. Dispersion of interbeat intervals at different heart rates was reduced in SIDS victims, resulting in Poincaré plots markedly different from those of controls. The dispersion, sampled at the 10th and 90th percentiles of heart rates, was reduced across all sleep-waking states in SIDS victims. At high heart rates, the difference between groups disappeared after correcting for basal rate; however, the reduced range at low heart rates was independent of basal rate. SIDS victims also showed smaller beat-to-beat changes in heart rate and fewer sustained runs of consistent heart rate changes during waking relative to controls. The differences in cardiac rate dynamics suggest altered autonomic control in infants who succumb to SIDS. We speculate that the autonomic disturbance may lead to cardiac instability or may indicate CNS alterations with the potential to affect other vital functions.

Autonomic Nervous System↗
PubMed1985

Early neonatal sudden infant death and near death of fullterm infants in maternity wards.

In a large Swedish 2 1/2-year population of fullterm infants the incidence of early neonatal sudden death (ENSD) was 0.12 per 1000 newborn infants considered healthy at birth but presenting with sudden cardiovascular collapse between 6 and 100 hours after birth. In the total neonatal mortality the rate of ENSD was 11%. Well-known risk infants, e.g. prematurity, perinatal asphyxia, difficult delivery or congenital malformations were not included. In an inborn population of 20 123 fullterm newborns the rate of ENSD was 0.15 per 1000. In the same population near-missed ENSD occurred in 0.35 per 1000 liveborn infants. Possible causative factors were infections in 4 and anaemia in 2 cases. But in 7 of 13 infants thorough epidemiological examinations and postmortem sterile autopsies did not reveal the cause of death or near death. These are probably cases of sudden infant death syndrome hitherto unrecognized in the first days of life.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Sudden infant death syndrome (crib death).

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is diagnosed by the absence of lethal autopsy findings, or in a resuscitatable, "near miss" form with cyanosis, apnea, and bradycardia. The event is unexpected, although a minor respiratory infection is common, and occurs during sleep, between 1 and 6 months of age. There is growing evidence that the victims have had previous hypoxic episodes. Although suffocation is no longer considered a tenable explanation, other forms of airway obstruction are still postulated by many; the evidence, however, favors hypoxia as the common feature. A lethal arrhythmia had been proposed by several groups, based on inappropriate reflex activity, "pathology" of the conduction system, and the long QT syndrome, but the evidence is against arrhythmia as the primary event in most cases of SIDS. Based on the reversible "near miss," apnea is likely as the primary event in SIDS. Several reflexes have the ability to produce apnea, in addition to the relatively common sleep apnea; the crucial aspect, rather, appears to be thefailure of the immature infant to resume respiration. The possibility exists that the infant, who did not have to breather for 9 months of fetal life, literally is not alarmed and aroused by the persistance of apnea. In human and animal studies, respiratory infections and sleep deprivation have been proved to increase the likelihood and duration of sleep apnea. If primary apnea continues for long (45 seconds or more), a dangerous positive feedback develops into hypoxic apnea. Hhis will persist until circulatory failure occurs, or until gasping occurs. The gasp is a highly effective mechanism at birth, but will occur too late for autoresuscitation after the anerobic capacity of fetal life dimineshes; we believe this capacity lasts for approximately 1 month, accounting for the hiatus of crib death, sparing the first month. The "near-miss" infant, after resuscitation, should be monitored at home, if practical, until 6 months of age. A simple cardiac monitor for bradycardia has definite advantage over an apnea monitor alone.

Airway Obstruction↗