The Effect of Maternal Smoking and Drinking During Pregnancy Upon3H-Nicotine Receptor Brainstem Binding in Infants Dying of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Initial Observations in a High Risk Population

Background. Maternal smoking is a well-recognized risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but the precise mechanism is unknown. We tested a hypothesis that maternal smoking affects pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) and neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs), which are innervated PNEC clusters and presumed airway chemoreceptors. Methods. Lung sections from infants who died of SIDS and whose mothers smoked during pregnancy (n = 22), infants who died of SIDS and whose mothers were nonsmokers (n = 17), and age-matched control infants (n = 15) who died of other causes were immunostained for bombesin (a PNEC and NEB marker) and assessed morphometrically. Results. The frequency of PNEC (the percentage of airway epithelium immunoreactive for bombesin) was increased up to twofold in the lungs of infants who died of SIDS (7.7 ± 0.4%) compared with controls (4.9 ± 0.4%), as was the frequency (40 ± 3.5 vs 23 ± 3.7/cm2) and size (748 ± 46.5 vs 491 ± 25.8,µm2) of NEBs. In infants who died of SIDS and who were born to smoking mothers, PNEC frequency was increased significantly compared with that in those born to nonsmoking mothers, but the frequency and size of NEBs were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that maternal smoking potentiates hyperplasia of the PNEC system in the lungs of infants who die of SIDS and that a dysfunction of these cells may contribute to the pathophysiology of SIDS.

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Smoking and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.91.5.893 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 91 (5) ◽

pp. 893-896 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. A. Mitchell ◽

R. P. K. Ford ◽

A. W. Stewart ◽

B. J. Taylor ◽

D. M. O. Becroft ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽

Infant Death ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Wide Range ◽

Household Members ◽

Control Study

Objective. Maternal smoking has been shown to be a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The effect of smoking by the father and other household members has not previously been examined. Methods. A large nationwide case-control study. Four hundred eighty-five SIDS deaths in the postneonatal age group were compared with 1800 control infants. Results. Infants of mothers who smoked during pregnancy had a 4.09 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.28, 5.11) greater risk of death than infants of mothers who did not smoke. Infants of mothers who smoked postnatally also had an increased risk of SIDS compared with infants of nonsmokers and, furthermore, the risk increased with increasing levels of maternal smoking. Smoking by the father and other household members increased the risk (odds ratio [OR] = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.92, 3.02 and OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.99, respectively). Smoking by the father increased the risk of SIDS if the mother smoked, but had no effect if she did not smoke. In analyses controlled for a wide range of potential confounders, smoking by the mother and father was still significantly associated with an increased risk of SIDS. Conclusion. Passive tobacco smoking is causally related to SIDS.

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What risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome are preterm and term medically complex infants exposed to at home?

Paediatrics & Child Health ◽

10.1093/pch/pxaa070 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ian Mitchell ◽

Daniel Y Wang ◽

Christine Troskie ◽

Lisa Loczy ◽

Abby Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽

Infant Death ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant ◽

Term Infants ◽

Medical Complexity ◽

Syncytial Virus

Abstract Objectives Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome include premature birth, maternal smoking, prone or side sleeping position, sleeping with blankets, sharing a sleeping surface with an adult, and sleeping without an adult in the room. In this study, we compare parents’ responses on sleep patterns in premature and term infants with medical complexity. Methods Parents of children enrolled in the Canadian Respiratory Syncytial Virus Evaluation Study of Palivizumab were phoned monthly regarding their child’s health status until the end of each respiratory syncytial virus season. Baseline data were obtained on patient demographics, medical history, and neonatal course. Responses on adherence to safe sleep recommendations were recorded as part of the assessment. Results A total of 2,526 preterms and 670 term infants with medical complexity were enrolled. Statistically significant differences were found in maternal smoking rates between the two groups: 13.3% (preterm); 9.3% (term) infants (χ 2=8.1, df=1, P=0.004) and with respect to toys in the crib: 12.3% (term) versus 5.8% preterms (χ 2=24.5, df=1, P<0.0005). Preterm infants were also significantly more likely to be placed prone to sleep (8.8%), compared with term infants (3.3%), (χ 2=18.1, df=1, P<0.0005). Conclusion All the infants in this study had frequent medical contacts. There is a greater prevalence of some risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome in preterm infants compared to term infants with medical complexity. Specific educational interventions for vulnerable infants may be necessary.

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High Risk Groups for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Israel

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1203/00006450-199905020-00037 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 10A-10A

Author(s):

Naama Rotem ◽

Rinat Rivlis ◽

Pnina Zadka

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽

Infant Death ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant

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Maternal smoking and increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome: A meta-analysis

Legal Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.legalmed.2012.10.007 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 115-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

Kui Zhang ◽

Xianmin Wang

Keyword(s):

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽

Infant Death ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant ◽

Increased Risk

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THE SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME—REASSESSMENT OF GROWTH RETARDATION IN RELATION TO MATERNAL SMOKING AND THE HYPOXIA HYPOTHESIS

American Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113135 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 113 (5) ◽

pp. 583-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

DONALD R. PETERSON

Keyword(s):

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽

Growth Retardation ◽

Infant Death ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant

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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Beyond Risk Factors

Life ◽

10.3390/life11030184 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 184

Author(s):

Serafina Perrone ◽

Chiara Lembo ◽

Sabrina Moretti ◽

Giovanni Prezioso ◽

Giuseppe Buonocore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽

Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Complex Model ◽

Sociocultural Factors ◽

Sudden Infant ◽

Special Focus ◽

Effective Prevention ◽

Death Scene

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as “the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age which remains unexplained after thorough investigation including a complete autopsy, death scene investigation, and detailed clinical and pathological review”. A significant decrease of SIDS deaths occurred in the last decades in most countries after the beginning of national campaigns, mainly as a consequence of the implementation of risk reduction action mostly concentrating on the improvement of sleep conditions. Nevertheless, infant mortality from SIDS still remains unacceptably high. There is an urgent need to get insight into previously unexplored aspects of the brain system with a special focus on high-risk groups. SIDS pathogenesis is associated with a multifactorial condition that comprehends genetic, environmental and sociocultural factors. Effective prevention of SIDS requires multiple interventions from different fields. Developing brain susceptibility, intrinsic vulnerability and early identification of infants with high risk of SIDS represents a challenge. Progress in SIDS research appears to be fundamental to the ultimate aim of eradicating SIDS deaths. A complex model that combines different risk factor data from biomarkers and omic analysis may represent a tool to identify a SIDS risk profile in newborn settings. If high risk is detected, the infant may be referred for further investigations and follow ups. This review aims to illustrate the most recent discoveries from different fields, analyzing the neuroanatomical, genetic, metabolic, proteomic, environmental and sociocultural aspects related to SIDS.

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