SIDS cases have increased levels of interleukin-6 in cerebrospinal fluid.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 20 infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), 7 cases of infectious death and 5 cases of violent death were examined with respect to concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6). The measurements were performed by ELISA. IL-6 levels in SIDS were significantly lower than in infectious death (p < 0.02), but significantly higher than in violent death (p < 0.02). Since IL-6 plays an important role in immune responses and may induce fever, the findings may suggest that immune activation plays a role in SIDS. The presence of cytokines in the central nervous system (CNS) may cause respiratory depression, especially in vulnerable infants.
Vege
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A
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
Rognum
T O
TO
Scott
H
H
Aasen
A O
AO
Saugstad
O D
OD
D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013997:Time Factors; D014754:Violence
D015850:Interleukin-6