Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in Denmark: Evaluation of the Increasing Incidence of Registered SIDS in the Period 1972 to 1983 and Results of a Prospective Study in 1987 through 1988

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 855-859
Author(s):  
Karin Helweg-Larsen ◽  
Lisbeth B. Knudsen ◽  
Markil Gregersen ◽  
Jørn Simonsen
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Unexpected Death ◽  
National Board ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
Live Births

To investigate a reported increase, from 0.4 to 1.3 per thousand live births, in the Danish incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a retrospective analysis of SIDS in Denmark from 1972 to 1983 was carried out. Based on data registered with the National Board of Health, a notable regional difference in SIDS rate between the western and eastern parts of Denmark was found. This difference did not correlate with the overall postneonatal mortality by region. Danish law requires medicolegal investigation in all cases of sudden unexpected death. Medicolegal autopsies are performed only in the three forensic institutes which cover all of Denmark. Despite the law and a uniform organization of the forensic medical services, differing application of postmortem examinations and individual interpretation of the history and autopsy in cases of sudden infant death existed. Differences in reporting of respiratory infections, suffocation, and cardiac malformation were found to contribute to the increase and to regional disparities in SIDS incidence. The three Danish forensic institutes examined all cases of sudden infant deaths in Denmark 1987 and 1988. These cases were classified as explained cause of death, pure SIDS, and atypical SIDS; atypical cases were evaluated by consensus. The SIDS incidence (the number of classic SIDS and atypical SIDS per thousand live births) was 1.9 in 1987 and 1.3 in 1988, and it was identical in the eastern and western part of Denmark; however, a higher incidence both of overall postneonatal and SIDS mortality was found in the middle region of Denmark. The analysis stresses the importance of high autopsy rate and expert investigation in all cases of infant death in order to obtain reliable data for epidemiological studies. A prospective joint study of all postneonatal infant deaths in Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark will be carried out to analyze the reliability and the possible cause of reported differences in SIDS incidence in the five Nordic countries.

scholarly journals Sudden infant death syndrome in Brazil: fact or fancy?

2008 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Maia Woida ◽  
Fabiano Pinto Saggioro ◽  
Maria Alice Rossato Ferro ◽  
Luiz Cesar Peres
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Brazilian Literature ◽  
True Incidence ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
Live Births ◽  
The City

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The true incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Brazil is unknown. The aim here was to identify SIDS cases in the city of Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, between 2000 and 2005, in order to estimate its incidence. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective analysis of data on live births and infant deaths in Ribeirão Preto and from autopsies of infants performed at the Death Verification Service of the Interior (SVOI) between 2000 and 2005. RESULTS: There were 47,356 live births and 537 deaths, with infant mortality rates ranging from 12.9‰ to 10.9‰ of live births. Among the 24 infants who died possibly due to SIDS and who were autopsied at the SVOI, six were from families living in the municipality (0.13‰ of live births): three (50%) were diagnosed as SIDS, and one each (16.66%) as indeterminate cause, bronchoaspiration and cerebral edema. Two deaths occurred in the first month of life (33.33%) and one each (16.66%) at two, four, six and eight months. Two deaths each (33.33%) occurred in the months of February and December, one each in August and October (16.66%). Four cases (66.7%) occurred in the summer and one each (16.66%) in winter and spring. There was 5:1 predominance of males over females. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of SIDS was lower than what has been reported worldwide and in the Brazilian literature, thus suggesting underdiagnosis, indicating the lack of any specific postmortem protocol for SIDS identification and showing the need to implement this.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood: A Report of 50 Cases

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry F Krous ◽  
Amy E. Chadwick ◽  
Laura Crandall ◽  
Julie M. Nadeau-Manning
Keyword(s):  
Family History ◽  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Postmortem Examination ◽  
Sudden Unexpected Death ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Unexpected Death ◽  
Live Births ◽  
History Of

Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is rare, with a reported incidence in the United States of 1.5 deaths per 100,000 live births compared with 56 deaths per 100,000 live births for sudden infant death syndrome in 2001. The objectives of this study include a proposal for a general definition for SUDC and presentation of 36 cases of SUDC and 14 cases of sudden unexpected death in childhood. Cases were accrued through referrals or unsolicited via our Web page ( www.sudc.org ). Our analyses tentatively suggest a SUDC profile characterized by cases being 1 to 3 years in age, predominantly male, and frequently having a personal and family history of seizures that are often associated with a fever. A history of recent minor head trauma is not uncommon. They are usually born at term as singletons and occasionally have a family history of sudden infant death syndrome or SUDC. Most are found prone, often with their face straight down into the sleep surface. Minor findings are commonly seen at postmortem examination but do not explain their deaths. Comprehensive review of the medical history and circumstances of death and performance of a complete postmortem examination including ancillary studies and extensive histologic sampling of the brain are critical in determining the cause of death in these cases of sudden unexpected childhood death. Legislation enabling research and formation of a multicenter research team is recommended to unravel the mystery of SUDC.

Sudden unexpected death in infancy: aetiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology and prevention in 2015

2015 ◽  
Vol 100 (10) ◽  
pp. 984-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J Fleming ◽  
Peter S Blair ◽  
Anna Pease
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Sudden Unexpected Death ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Unexpected Death ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Review Current

Despite the fall in numbers of unexpected infant deaths that followed the ‘Back to Sleep’ campaigns in the early 1990s in the UK and many other countries, such deaths remain one of the largest single groups of deaths in the postneonatal period in many Western countries. Changes in the ways in which unexpected infant deaths are categorised by pathologists and coroners, and increasing reluctance to use the term ‘sudden infant death syndrome’, make assessment of nationally and internationally collected data on incidence potentially inaccurate and confusing. In this paper, we review current understanding of the epidemiology and aetiology of unexpected deaths in infancy, and current hypotheses on the pathophysiology of the processes that may lead to death. We also review interventions that have been adopted, with variable degrees of effectiveness in efforts to reduce the numbers of deaths, and new approaches that offer the possibility of prevention in the future.

scholarly journals Aquaporin-1 and aquaporin-9 gene variations in sudden infant death syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siri Hauge Opdal ◽  
Linda Ferrante ◽  
Torleiv Ole Rognum ◽  
Arne Stray-Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Unexpected Death ◽  
Aquaporin 9 ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
External Risk ◽  
The Brain

AbstractSeveral studies have indicated that a vulnerability in the development and regulation of brain function is involved in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The aim of this study was to investigate the genes encoding the brain aquaporins (AQPs) AQP1 and AQP9 in SIDS. The hypothesis was that specific variants of these genes are part of the genetic vulnerability predisposing infants to sudden unexpected death. The study included 168 SIDS cases with a median age of 15.5 (range 2–52) weeks and 372 adolescent/adult deceased controls with a median age of 44 (range 11–91) years. In the AQP1 gene, the rs17159702 CC/CT genotypes were found to be associated with SIDS (p = 0.02). In the AQP9 gene, the combination of a TT genotype of rs8042354, rs2292711 and rs13329178 was more frequent in SIDS cases than in controls (p = 0.03). In the SIDS group, an association was found between genetic variations in the AQP1 gene and maternal smoking and between the 3xTT combination in the AQP9 gene and being found lifeless in a prone position. In conclusion, this study adds further evidence to the involvement of brain aquaporins in SIDS, suggesting that specific variants of AQP genes constitute a genetic predisposition, making the infant vulnerable to sudden death together with external risk factors and probably other genetic factors.

scholarly journals An Approach to the Classification of Apparent Asphyxial Infant Deaths

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan W. Matshes ◽  
Emma O. Lew
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Death Certification ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
Unexpected Infant Death

Recent evidence indicates that with thorough, high quality death investigations and autopsies, forensic pathologists have recognized that many unexpected infant deaths are, in fact, asphyxial in nature. With this recognition has come a commensurate decrease in, and in some cases, abolition of, the label “sudden infant death syndrome” (SIDS). Current controversies often pertain to how and why some infant deaths are determined to be asphyxial in nature and whether or not apparent asphyxial circumstances are risk factors for SIDS, or rather, harbingers of asphyxial deaths. In an effort to sidestep these controversies, some forensic pathologists elected to instead use the noncommittal label “sudden unexpected infant death” (SUID), leading to the unfortunate consequence of SUID – like SIDS – gaining notoriety as an actual disease that could be diagnosed, studied, and ultimately cured. Although it is not possible to provide death certification guidance for every conceivable type of unexpected infant death, we recognize and propose a simple classification system for overarching themes that cover the vast majority of cases where infants die suddenly and unexpectedly.

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