Immunisation and the sudden infant death syndrome. New Zealand Cot Death Study Group.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between immunisation and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).


METHODS
A large nationwide case-control study. Parental held records were used to measure immunisation status.


RESULTS
Infants were at increased risk of SIDS if they had not received the 6 week, 3 month, and 5 month immunisations. After controlling for potential confounding variables, including those which measured health care use and infant illness, the relative risk of SIDS for infants not being immunised at 6 weeks was 2.1 (95% confidence interval = 1.2, 3.5). Four percent of cases died within four days of immunisation and 7.6% of control infants had been immunised within four days of the nominated date. There was a reduced chance of SIDS in the four days immediately following immunisation (OR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.2 to 0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunisation does not increase the risk of SIDS and may even lower the risk.
University of Auckland, Department of Paediatrics, New Zealand.
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Mitchell
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Stewart
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Clements
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D009520:New Zealand; D012307:Risk Factors; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors