Identification and follow-up of infants at risk of sudden death in infancy

Abstract

IN the past 10 yr infant deaths in the age group 1 week up to 1 yr have levelled off at about 7.5 per thousand. About half these deaths are sudden and unexpected and are consequently referred to a coroner for certification; subsequent post mortem investigation reveals evidence of disease likely to cause death in 30% of sudden deaths: in the remainder the cause of death is obscure and such a case may be described as sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS, or more conveniently as cot death. In 1972 a panel, convened by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Washington, to discuss the status of epidemiological research in SIDS considered a prospective study of high risk babies of primary importance, but doubt was expressed as to whether a sufficiently high risk group could be identified to make such a study feasible (P. Froggatt, personal communication). We report the results of the first year of such a prospective study.